Kingdom Hearts III: Final Mix
by Dr.Roxas4dawin
Summary: The game we've all been waiting for is finally here; but there's a bit more to the story than what we've seen. The definitive version of Sora's last journey to save the hearts connected to him has begun. Rated T for fantasy violence, dark/depressing moments and minor instances of profanity. Currently at Kingdom of Corona (Sora)/Radiant Garden (Riku).
1. Prologue, and Landing in Olympus

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 1: Prologue/Landing in Olympus

 _ **Many years ago, in a land by the Sea and Sky…**_

A young silver-haired teenager was sitting by a window, overlooking the vista of their world inside a castle-like fortress when he began hearing footsteps approach him. A similar aged young man with shaggy ebony hair came to sit down across from him.

"Not afraid about the Mark of Mastery, are you?" the first figure asked.

"Me?" the second boy laughed, "No way! I just want to say may the best man win when the test comes."

"Ever the optimist, eh, Eraqus?" the other man said to his friend. "I'm glad you came over, actually. There was something I wanted to ask you."

"And that is?"

"Have you ever heard the tale of the ancient Keyblade War?" the boy asked Eraqus, as they began playing a game on the chessboard sitting between them.

"Yeah, that's the Master's favorite story, Xehanort," Eraqus answered.

"So, then you know all about the Lost Masters; they're the ones who started the War." Xehanort continued.

"I can't say I ever heard of 'em."

"Heh, you can drop the façade, my friend," Xehanort remarked, seeing through Eraqus's feigned ignorance. "Those six Masters, Ira, Aced, Gula, Invi, Ava, and Luxu, were each granted a demand to follow after their teacher the enigmatic Master of Masters vanished, in the hope that they could maintain the light of their world, but mistrust and jealousy overtook their hearts and eventually that power of light failed them. It was as if the Master planned for the War to occur from the very start."

"How could you believe something like that?" Eraqus asked his friend, beginning to feel distressed with his friend's tone.

"Believe what you will, but sometimes I feel destiny is like a game of chess when you come down to it; an endless battle where all the pieces are guided to their proper place until their rightful time for action comes." After his ominous declaration, Xehanort made his move to capture Eraqus's king piece. "Checkmate. Now as you can see, darkness will prevail as the light expires; just as the tale foretold."

"Hold on, it's my turn now, isn't it?" Eraqus asked.

With a bewildered but bemused chuckle, Xehanort asked "By all means, be my guest, but what more can you do? There's no other path to turn to, so it's best you just surrender."

"You think that it's all that concrete, what destiny is? It's true, darkness has power, but unlike darkness, there's far more to the light than meets the eye. Who knows? You might be surprised by it."

"Oh, I sincerely hope so," Xehanort replied.

* * *

 _ **Time has passed, and in the vast reaches of space…**_

A lone Gummi Ship is seen flying through the stars, as the three passengers inside ponder about how they can reach their destination. It was only a matter of moments ago when a young boy named Sora returned to the Mysterious Tower of Master Yen Sid and was informed that because of the actions of sabotage by Master Xehanort in Sora's Mark of Mastery led to him losing much of his power. To remedy this, Sora was instructed to venture off with his friends the Mage of Disney Castle, Donald Duck, and the Guard Captain of Disney Castle, Goofy Goof to the world of Olympus Coliseum, where he could train with the true hero Hercules to earn the strength that could help him regain his abilities that he lost. But it had been so long that the roads to the worlds have shifted, and their normal routes wouldn't work for them this time.

"How're we supposed to get there now?!" Sora lamented.

"I thought you knew!" Donald rasped in frustration.

"Wait a minute, didn't Master Yen Sid say that Sora should trust the guidance his heart gives him?" Goofy asked, as Sora sat deep in thought once more.

"Hey, won't ya get serious about this?" Donald remarked.

"Gimme a break, won't you, Donald? These things take time." Sora rebuked.

"Well, we've been there a lot of times before; maybe picturing everyone with us like we're already there might help." Goofy suggested.

"Hmmm," Sora thought as he imagined flexing playfully alongside Hercules. "Sorry guys, I've got nothing."

"May your heart be your guiding Key," Goofy wondered out loud.

"Wha-?"

"Yen Sid always said that, right before we went off on our adventures. Or maybe I just imagined it."

"Do you remember that?" Sora asked Donald, who shrugged in response. "May my heart be my Key…" In an instant, a thought sprung up and Sora summoned his Keyblade forth, aiming it at the horizon ahead. Soon enough, a gateway opened forth. "All right! Olympus Coliseum, here we come!" The group then drove through, eventually approaching the home world of one of their oldest friends.

"Now the real question is where to land. It's not like our ship is very inconspicuous." Donald explained to the others.

"Well, that's a big word for you, buddy," Sora joked.

"I mean it though!" Donald snapped.

"Wait, you guys. What about that big city way over there?" Goofy asked, pointing to a clearing within range of a large city.

"That sounds good to me! Hang on tight, everyone!" Sora called out as he pulled the Gummi Ship in for a landing. After disembarking, the group began their trek towards the Coliseum, only to find their landing spot was further away than he expected.

"What? No fanfare?" Sora asked, as he made a trumpeting noise through puckered lips to prove his point.

"Sora…" Donald scowled.

"What, I overshot it, but no sweat. We need to find Herc!" Sora said in defense as he began marching upwards towards the mountain vista.

"Up there?" Donald asked.

"Well, yeah. 'Up' is the general direction," Sora added.

"Well Donald, I guess it's true then what they say about having yer head in the clouds." Goofy remarked.

"Exactly!" Sora remarked with a cheerful grin, as the group went on ahead. Little did they know that Hades was once again up to no good, with a new plan at work; for you see, it was prophesized in eighteen years' time, the planets would form into a perfect alignment and open the gates to the very prison that Zeus banished the Titans to from the dawn of time. After one failed plan upon another, Hades was determined to at last exact his revenge on his brother and become the rightful cosmic ruler.

After wandering around for some time and battling some Heartless, Sora and the others found themselves on a cliff overlooking the city.

"I think we might be lost," Goofy remarked, as Donald glared at Sora.

"We must've made a wrong turn somewhere…" Sora grumbled, before shouting out into the wind. "Hercules, where are yoooouuuu?" As Sora turned back around, he saw a black cloud of smog that smelled of brimstone waft towards the team. The smoke soon cleared to reveal a very irate Hades.

"Okay, I know for a fact I dotted my Is and crossed my Ts, so who's the yutz that's giving me a migraine by yodeling that Sunspot's name?" Hades growled before he took notice of Sora and the others. "Ah, it's just you three. Oy vey…"

"Even for you that's cold, Hades," Donald snarked.

"Remember that I'm capable of turning up the heat, birdbrain." Hades barked back angrily.

"Now hold on a moment, if you're here, then where's Hercules?" Goofy asked.

"BY THE GODS, WHAT IS EVERYBODY'S INFATUATION WITH THAT DOLT?!" Hades snapped, turning red with fury, before regaining his composure. "Y'know what, it's fine; I'll let this slide, because that schmutz will be out of my hair soon enough. And besides, I don't have the time tossing fire at you when the entire cosmos is waiting, with my name on it, I might add."

"Poor, poor, Hades," Sora remarked. "Thinking he can actually pull it off this time…"

Hades then spread out his arms as if summoning forth something, as he bellowed "Come forth, my Titans, and show me your power!" The clouds began to darken into a menacing dark gray as lava flowed down the mountainside, the earth shook violently, and a chilling icy gale overwhelmed the heroes. Eventually, the gale became too much for them, and they were flung into the air towards the city in the horizon.

"Ah, that sent 'em flying... right to where I was just coming from. Bah, whatever," Hades reflected as he turned his attention back to the Titans. "Wonderful work, guys. Now back to the old cosmic coup?"

" _ **DESTROY ZEUS!**_ " the Titans mindlessly bellowed in reply as they lumbered away, leaving Hades in his solitude until a dark corridor opened beside him.

"Well, who are the new pests?" Hades grumbled, before seeing the portly cat-like creature Pete and the devious fairy Maleficent appear in front of him.

"Hey now, what sort of way is that to greet old friends of yours?" Pete said to Hades.

"Ah, it's just you two. And we're not friends, okay? You never did me any favors as I recall. Keep your Heartless; I'm going with my original plan, so go on and vamoose. Happy trails!" Hades remarked to the two newcomers.

"The last thing I intended to do here was help you, but there is one thing I want from you. All I require is information regarding a distinct black box in this world," Maleficent explained.

"A black box, eh? Don't tell me you're after the one that Zeus left buried long ago."

"Perhaps. If I were, where would we find it?"

* * *

And that finishes this opening chapter. With the game now out and available to play, I'm having a lot of fun with the game so far, but I can't help but feel some aspects need some more filling in, so I'm adding some things in this continuation of the new Kingdom Hearts game. Again, there are spoilers in the story, so I just ask that you exercise caution while following this story. That being said, I hope you enjoyed it, and remember to leave a review!


	2. One Town, A Million Troubles

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 2: One Town, a Million Troubles

 _ **Up in the clouds of Mt. Olympus...**_

The Earth continued to rumble as the Rock Titan's steps grew closer and closer. At this point, it became loud enough to catch the attention of the messenger god, Hermes who peered down from his lookout to see what the commotion was about.

" _ **ZEUS!**_ " the Titans roared angrily as their march continued undeterred.

"Oh, we're in trouble! Big trouble!" Hermes yelped as he flittered away as fast as his winged shoes could take him. Eventually, he reached Zeus's throne room and began to break the news in between gasps for air.

"M-my Lord, the Titans have escaped, and they're practically at our gates..." Hermes panted, as Zeus's expression shifted from surprise to a serious scowl.

"Sound the alarm!" Zeus ordered. "Launch an immediate counterattack! Go, go!" Hermes then gave off a salute to the King of the Gods before trumpeting out a warning for all the other Gods to prepare for a grueling battle to protect their domain.

* * *

 _ **Over in the city of Thebes...**_

Now, at first glance, you'd think Thebes is just a typical city perpetually down on its luck, and for the most part, you'd be right. This is very apparent by the grieving of some citizens after a fierce fire engulfed and damaged the majority of the city.

"It was tragic! We've lost everything in the fire," one woman exclaimed.

"Everything, expect for faithful ol' Snowball here," one man covered in soot remarked, holding up a cat with singed black fur, coughing up smoke.

"If Hercules weren't around however, it certainly would've been worse."

"True. Say, I wonder what where our hero is right now," another citizen pondered out loud.

As a matter of fact, Hercules was up standing by a nearby temple after having cleared away debris from the previous fire when he heard the screams of Sora and the others hurtling through the sky. Without a moment's hesitation, Hercules leapt into action, catching Sora and Goofy, holding them between his arms.

"Well, we found him." Sora remarked cheerfully.

"A-hyuck! I'd say this counts," Goofy added.

"Get me down!" Donald cried as he hung by the tooth of a lion statue.

"Sorry! I'l be right over," Hercules apologized to the duck, as Donald squawked angrily until his quacks simmered down to unsatisfied grumbles. "I'm glad you three are here, Sora, Donald, Goofy."

"Thanks for helping us out, Herc, but what happened around here? Things look pretty bad," Sora asked.

"Take a guess; it starts with an H," Hercules responded.

"Oh, him. We actually ran into him on the way over here."

"He said somethin' about conquering the whole cosmos," Goofy added.

"All of it, huh? Nice of Hades to show some self-restraint. But what brings you all here? I don't think it's for the feta and olives," Hercules said.

"Sounds like somebody forgot," Donald snickered.

"I was getting to it, okay?" Sora rebuked defensively. "Herc, remember the last time we were here? You were feeling down and out, and I was wondering how you managed to get your strength back, when you jumped in to save Meg?"

"Well, I know she was danger, and I wanted to save her with all my heart... but it's not that simple to really explain. Why do you ask?" Hercules replied after taking a moment to ponder over the matter.

"Something happened, and I lost all my power too. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me any advice on how I could get it back."

"I'm sorry, Sora," Hercules answered sadly. "But I don't think I'm the guy who can help with that."

Donald and Goofy sunk low in disappointment for Sora, until Donald saw fireballs raining from the sky.

"Incoming!" Donald cried out, as the fireballs crashed into the pavement and opened up to reveal themselves as Heartless, or more precisely, red-hot Heartless known as Flame Cores.

"We'll talk later, once we deal with these creeps!" Sora called out to Hercules as the team began to fight. Sora decided to take the opportunity to utilize some techniques he carried over from the Mark of Mastery, by swinging around a marble pillar to sweep up a few of the Flame Cores with a Flowmotion attack. Donald and Goofy both took down their fair share of Heartless with a Tornado Spin and ice magic. Hercules assisted by hurling boulders from the ground at Heartless until the bad guys were eventually cleared away.

"Hercules!" a voice called out to Hercules as the group was catching their breath. As Hercules turned around to see who it was, Pegasus made his landing with Megara and Phil riding on his back.

"Meg, thank goodness you're okay." Hercules remarked in relief.

"I'd imagine doing cleanup for all this doesn't seem real fun," Megara observed.

"It rarely is with the Heartless involved. We're just lucky our friends came along."

"Well, how about that? Sora, Donald, Goofy, I guess we owe you a thank you."

"Hey, it's no big deal, really," Sora told Megara trying to be modest.

"It's because we're heroes!" Donald chirped in.

"Unless Phil has anything to say about it, that is," Goofy asked, with the trio's attention turning towards the tiny satyr.

"Listen kid, after everything you guys had done last time, there's nothing left to prove for me. It's the rest of the people in this town that'll need more convincing though. A couple of stiffs around these parts still think I can't strike lightning twice with a new set of heroes."

"That bad, huh?" Donald questioned.

"But that shouldn't be too hard for you three! This is a city of turmoil, so you'll be just what the doctor ordered. Also can you do me a favor?" Phil explained.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"There's a garden not too far from here, and somewhere in there, they built some statue of my one pupil Achilles. Before Herc came around, he was the closest to a successful hero for me."

"What happened with him?" Goofy wondered.

"Two words: that blasted heel of his! Haven't you read your history? If he gets nicked there just once, then ka-boom, he's history! I bet I'd sleep a little more soundly if that eyesore is gone." Phil answered in frustration.

"I guess we'll keep an eye out then," Sora pondered out loud.

"Anyway, Phil, you should make sure Meg gets somewhere safe. The city isn't really stable right now, and the four of us will search around to find anyone else and get them clear from the fire." Hercules asked his teacher and friend.

"You've got it, champ!" Phil replied, as he hopped back up on Pegasus's back.

"Just be careful, Wonderboy," Megara told Hercules as she and Phil prepared to fly off to higher ground.

"I will, I promise," Hercules assured Megara before the steed flew away. After Pegasus left, the group heard a voice cry out for help from far away.

" _Help me, I'm stuck! Somebody call IX-I-I!_ "

"Herc, I think I hear a voice, coming from that way!" Goofy spoke up after a split-second of silence. Hercules peered over towards where Goofy was pointing, and saw a young girl clinging desperately against a wall while standing on a mound of rubble.

"What are we waiting for, then?" Sora cried out as he started to run ahead.

"Sora, wait! We'll never reach her in time on foot!" Hercules warned.

"Then what can we do?" Sora asked, as Hercules surveyed for whatever was nearby, taking notice of the giant statue of himself that the townspeople erected in honor of his heroism, now lying on the ground, toppled over admist the previous fight.

"I have an idea! Get on the back of that statue," Hercules suggested as the others climbed on.

"Do you think this is safe, Goofy?" Donald asked his partner.

"I hope so, Goofy replied with an air of uneasiness.

"Hold on tight!" Hercules told the trio, as he swung the statue skyward with all his might.

"Wait, Herc, I'm not so sure this is a good ideaaaaaaaaaaa-" Sora screamed as the statue was already sent flying towards where the girl was waiting. The statue made impact hard, as Sora hugged the girl tight against him as they were sent tumbling into the ground.

"Thank you for saving me," the girl told Sora cheerfully, as her hero staggered around in a daze.

"No problem," Sora responded groggily, watching as the girl scampered off to a safe spot. "I think I'm good traveling completely on foot for a while, guys."

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember to leave a review!


	3. Go the Distance

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 3: Go the Distance

"You okay now, Sora?" Goofy asked, as Sora shook off his disorientation and summoned his Keyblade once more.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Sora replied. "Let's keep looking for more people to help."

" _Well, if it isn't the Keyblade wielder and the King's fools,_ " a mocking voice called out from nowhere in particular until a Corridor of Darkness opened and revealed Maleficent and Pete.

"Maleficent! Are you the reason the Heartless are here?" Sora gasped as the team faced down the two villains.

"Certainly not, boy," Maleficent replied, while Pete analyzed Sora.

"Hey, Maleficent, I don't know about his two sidekicks, but Kid Keyblader looks a lot punier than last time. I say we take him out now while we have the chance," Pete told her superior, as Sora's confident expression faltered.

"Ordinarily I'd be inclined to accept such an idea, but the boy is inconsequential to us now. We have a larger agenda to attend to."

"Agenda? ...Oh, right! We gotta find that Black Box!" Pete said after a bit of recollection, before Maleficent shot him a scathing look to tell him to be silent.

"As for you three, I guarantee we shall meet again... once I decide there is time for such trifles," Maleficent concluded, as she opened a Corridor of Darkness to go elsewhere in the world.

"Hey, Maleficent! Wait for me!" Pete cried out as he raced after the mistress before turning around and addressing Sora. "You better hope you'll give us a fight worth takin' when we square off next time. Later, losers!"

Sora scowled as the two villains disappeared, before Donald and Goofy looked at Sora in concern.

"Sora? You aren't bothered by what those two said, are you?" Goofy asked.

"No, it's fine. I can take it," Sora assured his two friends.

"Are you sure? If you need to open up, you can," Donald told Sora.

"I SAID I'M OKAY!" Sora snapped angrily.

"Gawrsh, no need to get mad, buddy. It's just a question," Goofy told Sora. "You're gonna get stronger, you know."

"It's not that! It's just... I know everyone is counting on me, and Riku was always better dealing with pressure than me," Sora replied, trailing off in thought as the group set off to help save the citizens of the town. In a nearby treasure chest, Sora found a map of the city so he could track each of the major landmarks. Heading down a staircase, the group managed to take down a cluster of Flame Cores and then approached a path that was set aflame from all the chaos. Goofy quietly then took out his shield and pushed it forward towards the fire, repelling it effectively.

"Fellas! I just got a crazy idea!" Goofy exclaimed, as he set down his shield for Sora and Goofy to climb on. "Are you ready?" Goofy asked as he started to push the shield across the ground and climbed on as the shield slid along the floor, letting the team safely skate along the burning street. The trio then bounced around, sliding down rooftops as they slid across a statue's surface, taking down a group of Heartless that were threatening a family standing above on a mound of rubble.

"Don't worry! You're safe now!" Sora assured.

"Thank you, but there's still others trapped in the city! You're going to need this to keep your strength up," the older man told Sora as he gave the boy a Potion. The heroes thanked the man before heading out to clear through another burning street where they could see fireballs destroy a temple close by.

"Gawrsh, I hope they've got insurance," Goofy remarked as the group jumped off a ledge ahead where they found a pathway leading into a fountain and garden space. But first, they entered a stone house directly by where they landed off the ledge and took out the Heartless inside.

"Thanks, kid. Feel free to help yourself to something from my fruit basket on the way out," the house's owner offered as the heroes continued on their way.

" _I guess we can save these for later,_ " Sora thought, sticking the fruit in his pocket. _"Good thing this pocket satchel carries more than it looks like it can."_ Ahead of the group, Sora could see a woman clinging onto the top of a pedestal, crying for help.

"Where did all these monsters come from? Hercules, where are you?" the woman shouted.

"We'll put these hotheads out, just hang on!" Sora told the woman.

"Who are you three? Where is Hercules?" she asked.

"Yeesh, we're heroes too, y'know," Donald grumbled. The group quickly managed to take out the Heartless as the girl climbed down to thank the trio.

"Thank you for saving me, you three brave ones. I'm sure you'll be right on Hercules' level one day if you keep training," she said before leaving.

"...Is it really that noticeable?" Sora asked.

"Maybe just for you," Donald squawked jokingly.

"Well, we'll get to that level together!" Goofy assured warmly, as the group turned a corner on their way to find more citizens to help when they found a statue in front of a wall.

"You think this might be the statue Phil was talking about?" Donald asked.

"Well, let's get to smashing then," Sora answered as he hit the heel of the statue with his Keyblade until it began to topple and knock down the bricks of the wall.

"I don't think **that** was supposed to happen," Sora gulped nervously.

"Well, either way, there's a shortcut now," Goofy told the others as Sora grabbed some cloves, rosemary, and a King Oyster mushroom, thinking they might come useful later. In the distance, another temple collapsed after a fireball shot through it.

"Herc might be in trouble!" Donald cried out, as the team slid down the slope and through a drove of Heartless to save a woman hiding away from the monsters. Going up the steps, the heroes found Herc holding up the collapsing building with all his strength.

"Herc!" Sora called out to the professional hero.

"Sora, glad you could make it!" Hercules replied in relief, as another quake caused the building to rumble further, causing the family Hercules was protecting to try and shield themselves. The rubble also fell in front of where Sora and the others entered, blocking their only way out.

"We're trapped!" Donald wailed, as more Flame Cores appeared.

"Sora, you guys take 'em on. We still need to save this family!" Hercules instructed.

"Herc, you think you can still keep the building up?" Goofy asked.

"Not a problem!" Hercules answered with a assuring smirk.

"Guys, we gotta do this quick. I think something I learned a while ago might help..." Sora told his friends.

"Is that your secret, Sora?" Donald asked.

"You bet," Sora told them, as he focused his power within his Kingdom Key to activate a Drive Form called Second Form. The teenager clocked in enough hits against the Heartless to be able to take out a group of them with his Sonic Blade attack. The group then managed to take out the rest of the monsters with a stream of water spells.

"Good job, now get the people out!" Hercules told the trio as Sora helped guide them out through a large hole in the wall, looking back in concern at Hercules before making a run to safety with the family. After the dust cleared, Sora and his friends looked on in horror at the wreckage, fearing Hercules to be dead, until they could see a figure walking out through the dust.

"Hercules, you scared us. We thought you were dead!" Sora exclaimed.

"Don't worry; it takes more than that to stop a true hero," Hercules assured, until a hooded figure in a black coat stepped out of a Portal of Darkness. It was the Organization member, Xigbar.

"Oh, bravo! Well done!" Xigbar said sardonically, clapping his hands together.

"Who asked you, you creep?" Donald shouted.

"What are you doing here, Xigbar?" Sora questioned.

"Oh stop, you're giving me the warm and fuzzies, kiddo. Now tell me, Mr. Bodybuilder, does having a heart of light come with some sort of life insurance policy or what?" Xigbar continued.

"Just get to the point already!" Sora said in frustration.

"But I did; do you honestly think always putting other people first amounts to anything good? Like with Herc and his 'Nutmeg', for example."

"I was able to save Meg's life because I wasn't afraid to risk my own," Hercules told Xigbar.

"Ah, but you've got friends in high places, after all. That may seem admirable to you three, but one guy leaping into danger with some kind of godly safety net in waiting doesn't scream 'hero' to me. You're just lining up to lose," Xigbar replied.

"But our friends are-" Goofy began to say before Xigbar interrupted.

"-your power. I know, I know. But sticking all that power in one place is bound to break some of those hearts in the long run. But you know where I'm getting at, Sora? Accept your destiny, and find the hearts joined to yours."

"Why should I listen to you?" Sora growled.

"You think I'm telling you this out of goodwill? As if! You should be grateful I'm feeding you this trail of breadcrumbs. Your reward's waiting around the corner when all this is said and done."

"Whose hearts? Tell me!" Sora called out, only to be met with silence, as Xigbar had already left.

"Don't let him get to you, Sora. He just thinks he can get under your skin, but we'll prove him wrong," Hercules told Sora to ease his doubts.

"Besides, as a team, we're proof enough, right?" Goofy added.

"Anyway, everyone else is accounted for, so let's check back at the Agora." Hercules told the group as they set off back to the edge of town.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember to leave a review!


	4. Scaling the Mountain

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 4: Scaling the Mountain

With the encounter against Xigbar still fresh in Sora's mind, the heroes continued on their way down through a tunnel looking for a way back to the central marketplace. However, the path seemed to lead to a dead end.

"This can't be the end of the road!" Goofy yelped.

"Wait," Hercules told the dog man as the team quieted down and listened closer. "It sounds like something's on the other side. Do you hear it?"

"Yeah, I hear it," Sora told Hercules as he could hear rumbling footsteps and shifting rubble falling to the ground. After throwing some hard thrusts at the wall with the Keyblade, the wall collapsed, and opened a path back to the Agora, where our heroes saw a giant axe-wielding Heartless creating miniature earthquakes with the impact of its weapon.

"We've got to take it down before anybody else gets hurt!" Goofy suggested, as the team focused their spells and attacks at the 'Rock Troll' (as Donald off-handedly called it after the battle), but it seemed to do little to effect its stamina.

"We need more firepower," Hercules grunted as he leapt backwards to avoid a downward swing.

"We're about to get some!" Sora told the demigod, as he focused his spirit into summoning something, anything, that could help them. That devotion was then answered, but not quite in the way Sora expected, as a pirate ship covered with neon lights erupted out of the ground in a tidal wave. "Guess this works, now let's go!" Sora cried out as he commanded the boat to rapidly tilt around and knock the Heartless off its feet. Soon enough, it was propelled into the air and crashed into the ground after the attack finished and it was then swiftly defeated.

"Champ!" the familiar voice of Phil called out as Pegasus made its landing by the others, and both he and Megara dismounted to talk with Hercules.

"Wonderboy, we checked the perimeter," Megara told Hercules. "Everybody is safe now." The sky however began to darken as thunderclouds and smoke surrounded the mountainside in the horizon.

"Herc, I'm no meteorologist, but that looks like the sign of one very unhappy god out there," Phil told his pupil.

"Then I guess my family needs me," Hercules replied as he and the others began their trek up Mount Olympus, unaware that Xigbar was watching the entire fight play out from a rooftop as he ate a gyro he snuck from a food stand amidst the chaos.

"Heh, now _**that**_ was entertainment," Xigbar mused out loud to himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on Mt. Olympus...

The fight against the Titans didn't seem to fare well for the Gods, as most of them had already been incapacitated.

"Hermes, I need more thunderbolts!" Zeus called out.

"I'm sorry, but Ares has already been captured, my Lord. Everyone's been captured," Hermes replied before Hades' henchmen Pain and Panic grabbed him.

"Gotcha!" Pain grunted.

"His Maliciousness Hades would like a word with you," Panic added as they flew away. In the moment while Zeus was stunned in shock, the Ice Titan and Lava Titan trapped the King of the Gods in a tower of ice and magma as their master Hades stepped forward.

"Zeus-y, I'm home!" Hades cheekily remarked before his fellow God.

"Hades... you're behind this?!" Zeus roared in surprise and anger.

"You are correct, sir! Let me tell you, I've waited eons for this moment, having you right at my mercy!" Hades replied, rubbing his hands together in fiendish glee.

* * *

Back at the summit of Mt. Olympus, Sora, Hercules and the gang made a mad dash up the mountain trail, hacking down Heartless and scaling the walls.

"Herc, you said that your family needed help at the mountain; what did you mean by that?" Sora asked.

"I guess I never really told you guys this, but my Dad is the King of the Gods," Hercules explained as he whistled for Pegasus.

"WHAAAAT?!" the three heroes exclaimed in shock. "Then that would make you-"

"-a god, yes," Hercules finished. "You guys did good, but I'll take care of things from here."

"Herc should be fine," Goofy assured. "He did say he's a god, after all."

"Yeah, but with the Organization around, we can't take any chances!" Sora said in concern. The group then proceeded to begin their climb up the mountain before they felt the earth rumble around them.

"There's something familiar about this..." Donald observed, before they looked up and saw the Rock Titan throwing down a large boulder at the team.

" **TITAN!** " Donald and Goofy yelped as Sora and the both of them scrambled to safety, right as the boulder crumbled blocking the path they came from.

"There's nowhere to go but forward now!" Sora spoke up as he started to run up the mountain surface, dodging the large boulders being thrown down at him until he reached a higher precipice.

"Keep running!" Donald quacked as the group kept running ahead past Heartless that tried to attack them until they reached a dead end, right below the peak of the mountain itself where the Rock Titan was waiting. Sora managed to reach the Titan's feet after some more climbing and staggered the giant with attacks from his Keyblade, doing his best to evade the Titan's stomp attack.

"This thing hits like a truck, but we can't give up now!" Sora called out to his friends.

"Because heroes never quit that easily!" Goofy added, as they succeeded in wearing it down and knocking it off-balance. Sora used his Flowmotion to climb up the Titan's legs and attack its heads long enough to build the momentum to summon a roller coaster from his Attraction Flow power. After some attacks to the Titan from the ride's chimney, Sora sent the ride flying at the Titan to take it out and send it plummeting off the mountainside.

"That thing looked tough, but it was nothing but a big blockhead!" Donald chortled.

"That'll show it a thing or two about what teamwork is made of!" Goofy added.

"We can't celebrate yet, guys," Sora warned his friends, as he looked ahead for a way to enter Olympus. "Herc still needs our help!"

"Uh, right!" Donald and Goofy replied, as they kept moving until they reached a wall barricaded by rocks. However, the group found that the barricade could easily be dispelled by swats from the Keyblade. With each hit, a ray of divine light seeped through until the wall collapsed, revealing a golden staircase leading up into a kingdom in the sky.

"I guess that must be Olympus," Sora pondered. "Well, let's get a move on!"

"You got it, Sora ol' pal! The three half-pints, back together again. Isn't it great, Donald?" Goofy cheered.

"Yeah, it is. After all, we can't forget our motto, can we? All for one..." Donald replied with a smile.

"...And one for all," Sora finished, as the gates to Olympus itself creaked open, revealing its glorious splendor to the three travelers.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember to leave a review!


	5. A Hero's Might

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 5: A Hero's Might

Stepping through the open doors, Sora and his friends looked inside and were amazed by the sights of Olympus.

"So this is Herc's home?" Sora asked.

"It sure is pretty," Goofy remarked, before a heralding of trumpets played out.

"Is that our fanfare?" Donald wondered.

"Yes... and no," Sora replied, as he summoned his Keyblade. "We're about to meet the welcome party!" At that moment, a horde of bull-like Heartless decked in Spartan armor started to charge at the heroes, leaving Sora and Donald to retaliate with a Flare Force attack to break through their defenses. Soon after, Sora cut down through the herd of Heartless with a powerful swing of the Keyblade, leaving the team to continue on ahead and look for a way to reach wherever Hades was.

"Hey, look at that spot with the dark funnel cloud!" Goofy pointed out as Sora looked over towards the horizon where the Titans could be seen from a glance, charging through Heartless to try and reach the high plateau. However, the group was stopped in their tracks by a sandworm-like Heartless, which the team decided to call an Earth Core. To combat it, Sora used a string of hard-hitting air combo attacks to reach its head, succeeding in stunning it, so he could take it out and keep moving. Eventually the friends reached a staircase with scattered debris floating above them.

"How are we going to get up there now?" Donald asked.

"We could use that debris to get up there; maybe they could work as footholds?" Goofy suggested, as Sora focused his senses on looking for a vantage point to warp to reach the Apex.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," Sora thought as he warped up to another platform, having finally reached where Zeus and the other gods were being held captive.

"It's time to help Herc save his family!" Donald piped up as the heroes marched in, ready to do battle, while Hercules fought against Heartless in the sky to get towards his father.

"I swear to you Hades, when I get out of here..." Zeus bellowed before the ice-magma prison solidified and trapped the King of the Gods.

"Oh, but I'm the one giving orders now, Bolt Boy. And mark my words, I'm going to make Olympus great again; after some improvements, of course." Hades snidely remarked as he fashioned a throne out of darkness and smoke and sat down in triumph.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you, Hades!" Hercules called out from above, as he and Pegasus flew in to save the day.

"It's Hercules!" Apollo, the God of Strength, declared as the true hero raised his sword and swung it down on the chains that imprisoned the other gods to free them.

"Yeah, Herc! Thank you, my man!" Hermes cheered as Hades was agape in shock, swerving around to then see Sora.

"This should even the odds!" Sora added, as he, Donald and Goofy stood ready for battle with Hades. "It's four versus four now!"

"Grrrr! Don't just stand around, you big dolts! Get them!" Hades roared, as the Titans leered down at Sora and the gang.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy! Looks like you need some help," Hercules called out as he jumped off of Pegasus so they could take down the Ice and Lava Titan. The battle began as the Toranado Titan attempted to hold the heroes back with a gust of wind to blow them backwards, but the team stood their ground as they ran up the frozen magma tower so they could smack down the Titans in the face with Sora's Keyblade. While it did a fair amount of damage, the Titans swung their arms at Sora to try and knock him off the makeshift tower, only for Sora to jump and weave around so he could efficiently dodge their attacks. Sora then tapped into his deep power to summon forth a Magic Carousel, creating circles of light that managed to damage and stun the two Titans. Looking ahead, they then saw the Tornado Titan hovering in place.

"Just one Titan left! We can do this!" Sora called out to his friends to boost their confidence.

" _ **Lord Hades... fear not; I will blow these heathens away to their graves!**_ " the Tornado Titan hissed in a booming yet slimy voice.

"Just to safe, I have watched from the sidelines long enough. These brats will meet their end here and now!" Hades declared as he flamed up. Sora rushed up to hit the Titan by its tail, as Hercules grabbed Sora and spun him around to knock Hades out of his Beserker state and rake up damage against the ruler of the Underworld. Sora then fired some Water spells to dowse Hades' flames before the Titan sucked up Sora and his friends and sent them flying up into the air, leaving Sora alone to fight the two foes. Sora then focused his resources on chipping away at Hades, and knocking him down into the ground, leaving him unconscious so Sora could direct his fight to the Titan, which alternated between firing chunks of ice and lava by switching between its knocked out brethren, which Sora dodged deftly and fired Shotlock blasts at the tornado, whittling its endurance down to its death throes, with one final blast doing the monster in.

But even so, it wasn't enough to permanently put them down, as they rose up for another fight.

"They just don't go down!" Sora groaned, just as the Rock Titan smashed through the platform to battle the heroes again. "Now what do we do?"

"I think I have an idea," Hercules told Sora as he climbed up the makeshift pillar once more and split it open with his bare hands to free his father Zeus.

"NO!" Hades screamed in terror, knowing now that everything he did was about to come undone.

"Ah, thank you, my boy," Zeus said warmly to Hercules, who handed his father a lightning bolt.

"Yipe, I think we better run now!" Panic gulped as he and Pain attempted to make a run away from the fight only to be stopped and smacked around like punching bags by a snortily-laughing Pegasus.

"Now watch your old man at work!" Zeus proclaimed as he raised his bolts at the ready towards the Rock Titan.

" _ **Uh oh...**_ " the Rock Titan murmured before its heads were broken off by the impact of Zeus's lightning. In fear, the Titans hastily made their retreat, only for Hercules to grab the tail of the Tornado Titan and use it to capture the other three fleeing Titans. With enough eventual buildup, he hurled it deep into space, where it exploded into a fiery supernova.

"I... I can't believe it! I put eighteen years into this plan, and you ruin all of it!" Hades seethed in anger.

"Just forget it! You'll never beat Hercules no matter how many times you try!" Sora told the distraught god.

"Why don't you go back to the Underworld and have the time of your afterlife?" Donald suggested.

"Rrrrgh... damn you! Damn all of you!" Hades roared. "I was holding back before, I admit, but now I'm going to kill you pipsqueaks!"

"Brother!" Zeus called from behind, catching the attention of Hades. "You've caused enough damage around here for one day; now it's time for you to leave."

"I believe the exit is that a-way," Hercules added, directing him out of the Apex.

"Fine, but listen good!" Panic spoke up on behalf of his master. "Hades isn't going to make the same mistakes again when he comes back up here."

"You mean, _if_ he comes back up here," Pain corrected.

"If," Panic remarked out loud. "If is good."

"Keep moving!" Hades grumbled, as he grabbed his henchmen by the necks and stormed out.

"Oh, and one more thing," Hercules said, before punching out Hades. " **That** was for attacking Thebes."

"You think this is all over? Just wait what I've got in store for your precious little Nutme-" Hades shouted as he opened a portal back to the Underworld, only for Zeus to throw a lightning bolt in to zap his malicious brother as a last laugh.

* * *

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you three for everything you've done to help my son," Zeus told Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "If there is anything we do to repay you, you need only ask."

"It's no big deal, really," Sora assured. "We just couldn't stand aside when a friend of ours needed help."

"You three are certainly wise and brave beyond your years," the goddess of wisdom, Artemis, told the trio.

"Surely, you will go down in history in the Pantheon of heroes!" Apollo added.

"There is a matter that our heavenly Coliseum tournament is about to begin within a fortnight's time. When the time comes, you are most certainly welcome to compete," Zeus told the three friends.

"T-thank you," Sora said, blushing from the high praise, before remembering something. "Hold on, do you know where Hercules went?"

"Ah yes, I recall my boy saying he had words with his beloved Megara, down by the gates," Zeus told Sora as they set forth to talk with their friend.

"Hey, Herc!" Sora shouted, getting Hercules' attention. "Are you sure you want to leave all this behind? Isn't this place your home?"

"I can come and go as I please," Hercules explained. "But a life without Meg, the one person I care about most, would be an empty one, whether I'm immortal or not." As Hercules and Megara hugged, Herc then added, "I know for sure now where I belong."

"Yeah, and about that finding my strength question, I think I found it's something I should take care of myself," Sora told Hercules. "So, I guess you did have the answer after all."

"Well, you have heart," Hercules said. "Just keep at it, and I can't wait to see just how strong you become."

"I might even become stronger than you," Sora suggested.

"Don't get too carried away, Sora," Donald sighed in exasperation while everyone shared a good laugh before they said their farewells.

* * *

Meanwhile in the gardens of Thebes, Maleficent watched as Pete was digging through the tile floor at the spot where Hades told the two villains they could find the box they sought after.

"Are you even sure this box with that 'Book of Prophecies is even for real?"

"Be silent and keep digging, you imbecile!" Maleficent said coldly. "The words of the man in black were the only clue we have to go on. One way or another, the Book will be ours."

"I'm just saying one shot in the dark isn't gonna get us any-" Pete was about to explain before he hit something in the dirt and pulled up a box out of the ground. "Hey! This must be that Pandora's Box Hades mentioned!"

"Leave it be," Maleficent said flatly. "Our search will have to go elsewhere."

"B-but..." Pete stammered before the two left the box behind while Xigbar was watching from the shadows.

" _May my heart be my guiding Key,_ " he thought to himself.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter and the story of Olympus (for now; whew!). And yes, before anyone asks, I did have Hades paraphrase 'Make America Great Again' in his little spiel, due in part to observing that Hades' actor is (for better or for worse), an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump. I'm not wanting to start any political flame wars in the review section, but I wanted to include that only because in my mind, it seemed like a very 'Hades' thing for the villain to say. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this little update, and remember to leave a review!


	6. A Dark Hour and Return to the Tower

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 6: A Dark Hour & Return to the Tower

 _ **Meanwhile in the Realm of Darkness...**_

Riku and the Majesty of Disney Castle, King Mickey, were wandering through the deepest recesses of the Dark Realm, hoping to find some trace of the missing Keyblade Master Aqua. After taking a couple more steps further, Riku stopped in his tracks and pondered deeply to himself.

"Riku? Are you okay? We can stop to rest if you want," Mickey asked.

"It's not that, it's just that I've been here before; I should know this place. But all that feels like it was in another life."

"Riku, you've really grown up in these past two years, you know," Mickey told his friend.

"I guess so. The first time I came here, it scared me, but now, that feeling is different. At last, I finally feel like I'm in control of the darkness in me," Riku explained. "It's actually kind of exhilirating. And it's because you're here with me this time."

"No, that's not it," Mickey told Riku. "I think it's because you found that inner strength to protect what matters. When you care so deeply about someone, all feelings of fear and doubt just seem to vanish."

Riku then caught a glimpse of a young man in Riku's childhood offering him the power of the Keyblade to protect those he cared about someday when Riku grew older.

"You know, that reminds me of a promise I made to somebody once," Riku spoke up. "But does anything around here look familiar?"

"Kind of, but things have changed since last time. Normally I'd follow my heart and let my connection to Aqua guide me, but it seems like the closer we get, the hazier it feels. Either way, we can't just give up hope!"

"Then let's keep going," Riku replied to Mickey. Eventually, they reached the beachfront known as the End of Sea.

"That's odd, Aqua's trail is gone. I was certain her scent was here..." Mickey wondered.

"I've been to this place before; this is where me and Sora found our way back to the Realm of Light."

'Well, we're not equipped to dive any deeper into the darkness," Mickey told his friend.

"So now what?" Riku asked, just as a swarm of Shadow Heartless appeared, forming a swarming tidal wave.

"Careful, Riku! Even the weakest Heartless can get stronger down here," Mickey explained as the two prepared to fight. Riku's power and finesse with his Keyblade Way to the Dawn proved useful in the fight, as his success in the Mark of Mastery allowed him to easily dispose of the tide of Heartless.

"I was expecting more of a challenge," Riku remarked, before another group of Heartless swept down over the duo, ready to pounce on Mickey.

"Your Majesty!" Riku cried out, as he leapt in front of the King to take the hit, becoming enveloped in darkness.

"Riku!" Mickey yelped in surprise, as he began to strike at the tide of Heartless to break him free.

Inside the tide, Riku felt the sensation of being trapped underwater, gasping for breath as he put a hand to his throat, corpsing and coughing.

" _I never expected to see you again. What are you doing out here?_ " a strangely familiar voice called out in Riku's mind.

"Because there's someone here that needs me," Riku explained. "Who are you anyway?"

" _You really don't remember? I'm your other you; that shadow looking to protect somebody too,_ " the voice told Riku.

"How is that even possible?" Riku thought, just as he started to come to, becoming blinded by light.

"Riku? Oh, Riku, you're awake!" Mickey said in relief towards Riku. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Thanks, how did you get all of them?" Riku asked.

"Well, I took out at least half of them, but then the rest got away after spitting you out. But the bad news is..." Mickey began to explain as he showed Riku his broken Keyblade. "They managed to crack my Keyblade and shear apart yours."

"How long are we supposed to keep Aqua waiting? I thought we'd be strong enough to save her," Riku replied in disappointment.

"I know, but Aqua's like Sora. She doesn't give up hope that easily. For now, I think we better head back to the tower and regroup with Yen Sid. Besides, we won't be gone too long."

Riku nodded in agreement, before plunging his broken Keyblade deep into the sand.

"I guess I can't use this Keyblade anymore. It'll just have to stay here, until my other half gets to it," Riku remarked before they set out to return to the Mysterious Tower.

* * *

Time had passed, and now Sora, Donald and Goofy had returned back to the Mysterious Tower where Yen Sid made his home. Sora had just finished explaining his adventure in Olympus to the former Keyblade master.

"I see," Yen Sid answered. "A pity your efforts there to regain strength were fruitless."

"It's no biggie," Sora replied. "I still learned a lot down there."

"Besides, your power can't be gone forever. Something ought to trigger that memory sooner or later," Goofy suggested.

"Would a konk on the head help?" Donald jokingly asked, to be met with a flustered glare from Sora.

"Or perhaps, it may be something as simple as that. After all, whenever you are in need, magic comes to your aid. That has always been one of your strongest strengths, Sora." After offering his explanation, a knock on the door could be heard as Riku and Mickey made their entrance.

"Whoa! When did you get new duds?" Sora asked Mickey before Donald and Goofy pushed him away.

"Donald, Goofy! What were you and Sora off doing?" Mickey asked.

"We were trying to find a way to get Sora back his missing power, but it didn't go over well," Donald explained.

"We didn't exactly fare well either," Riku continued, telling the others about the attack against them in the Dark Realm that destroyed their Keyblades.

"Don't I get to say anything? Riku's my friend, too!" Sora complained as he got back up.

"We know that Aqua made it as far as the beach me and Sora ended up at once, but if only we could find somebody close to her to make the dive deeper, then we'd find her."

"I don't even think there's anyone left to ask. Ven is sleeping and Aqua was the only one who knew where he is, and nobody's seen Terra for a long time," Mickey sadly told the others.

"Then I'll go," Sora offered.

"What?!" everybody else in the room remarked in shock.

"Sora, if you are to have any chance in rescuing those joined to your heart, you must find the Power of Waking by any means necessary. Explore the many worlds and perhaps you may find a clue to gaining the power," Yen Sid instructed to Sora, before he turned his attention towards Riku and Mickey. "As for you both, I suggest you retrace Aqua's steps to find a way to bring her back. Going to the other worlds may lead to an answer for where she is now. And I request you deliver these to Kairi and Lea." Yen Sid then summoned forth three cases with a wave of his hand.

"Is that..." Mickey asked.

"Yes, they are similar to the ones I gave you and Riku. I want you to take them to the space where Kairi and Lea are training, and they also contain new Keyblades for you both. The other case, however, is a gift to Sora from the three fairies, containing new clothes with special powers. I also give you this charm called a Heartbinder. Focus on the bonds between you and your friends, and help will come your way."

"Thank you, Yen Sid. We won't let you down!" Sora told the elder Keyblade Master as the group set off to continue on their adventure. Before they left, Sora could see Yen Sid mouth the words "May your heart be your guiding key".

"See, I told ya!" Goofy whispered.

* * *

Back in the Gummi Ship, Sora donned the new outfit- a vestment colored red and black, as the heroes thought about where to go next. However a ringing noise from the inside of Sora's pocket caught their attention as Jiminy Cricket, the chronicler of the team's adventures suggested for Sora to find the source of the noise. As he rummaged through his pocket, he pulled out a touch-screen phone which was ringing a familiar tune.

"What do I do with this?" Sora wondered before he hit a green button to make the ringing stop.

"...Finally, he answered!" the familiar face of the chipmunk engineer Dale piped up. "Hey Chipper, get over here. Sora's callin'!"

"Chip, Dale! Boy am I happy to see you both!" Sora beamed.

"Sora, you need to answer the phone or else we can't give you updates. That's why we wanted to make sure Yen Sid gave you the Gummiphone we made for you," Chip told Sora. "This nifty little thing takes pictures and allows us to stay in touch with you at all times."

"Well, I'll be, it's finally finished!" Jiminy remarked. "I might even try to write my journal entries in this."

"So what's the important thing you wanted to tell us?" Sora asked.

"Oh, it's this! When Riku explored the Sleeping Worlds with you, he found that Ansem the Wise left some very important data inside you. We've been trying to crack it and see what it says. And that is where our new friend comes in to explain."

"New friend?" Donald and Goofy asked. Instantly, the phone call switched over to a young man with silver hair in a white scientist's robe.

"The data inside you is encrypted, Sora, so we need more time to evaluate what the code means," the new figure explained.

"Wha- who are you?" the trio asked.

"Oh, I guess we never properly met before. My name is Ienzo, and one of the castle guard members, Aeleus, is here with me as well."

"Hmph," Aeleus grunted solemnly in response.

"Listen, whatever happened between you and Roxas is in the past, brother," Ienzo assured his partner who was already walking away.

"Your friend isn't exactly the most sociable feller, is he?" a familiar voice added.

"Cid, is that you?" Sora asked, as Ienzo directed the phone screen over to the gruff Gummiship and computer expert of the Restoration Committee.

"Well, Sora! Seems like you did a bit of growing since last time, squirt." Cid remarked. "I just want to let you know that you don't need to worry about Leon and the others. They're taking care of things in Radiant Garden, but I'll always be around helping Ienzo and the chipmunks in crackin' that code for ya, so you can focus on finding those missing folk of yers."

"Anyway, the reason the two of us are here right now is because you and Riku managed to defeat our Nobodies, which made us complete people again. Make no mistake, we cast off our hearts by choice, but never did we imagine that Xehanort- or rather, Xemnas, was deceiving us."

"How should we trust anything you have to say?" Goofy asked.

"It must be an Organization trick!" Donald added.

"That's what I thought at first," Cid told the others. "But he says that now they're nothing more than students of the heart, just as they were before Xehanort came 'round."

"Settle down now, Paw," another new voice said as a blonde-haired woman took the phone and directed it toward her view. "What Ienzo is trying to say is that they have friends they're trying to bring back, just as you are."

"Okay, thanks for telling us that, Miss... uh..." Sora replied to the stranger.

"Name's Cindy; I'm Cid's grease monkey of a granddaughter." Cindy introduced herself. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sora, Donald, Goofy."

"The most important thing we found from the code is that there is not only one heart inside of you, but three different hearts as well."

"Ah! Does that make me some kind of freak, then?" Sora panicked, fearing that those extra hearts were some kind of deformity from falling into darkness before.

"No, it just means that along with your heart, there are three others who rest inside of you," Ienzo explained.

"Well, I always knew that there was another heart inside mine. I think one of them might be Roxas's, just like how Namine is inside Kairi's."

"I've honestly never thought of it that way before, but your theory does have merit. It's settled then, all of us will be working to solve the mystery of the code, and update you on anything that comes up."

"Thank you!" Sora replied.

"And one more thing, can you keep an eye out for our assistant Even, or Vexen, as you knew him? He disappeared a while after we were recompleted, and he hasn't shown up since then," Ienzo asked. "I sincerely thank you in advance. Good luck to you, Sora."

"And Jiminy?" Chip asked, as the camera went back to the two chipmunks in Disney Castle. " **Please** make sure to teach Sora how to use the phone, okay? Well, goodbye for now!" And with that final message, the line cut and hung up.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and remember to leave a review!


	7. Interval, Character Journal Entries 1

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 7: Interval- Character Journal Entries

* Sora- A boy who wields a Keyblade. Having previously surmounted countless challenges, he was at last given a chance to complete the Mark of Mastery examination, but the attempt ended in failure. He was overtaken by darkness, and lost nearly all his powers and strength in the process. Together with Donald and Goofy, he has set forth on a new adventure to reclaim that lost strength and acquire the Power of Waking in order to prepare for the looming battle with Master Xehanort.

* Donald Duck {The Wise Little Hen (1934)}- King Mickey's court magician and a loyal friend. Donald has journeyed with Sora many times to keep the worlds safe. He has pledged to help Sora through the trials ahead.

* Goofy {officially debuted in Mickey's Revue (1932), but the modern version first appeared in Two Weeks Vacation (1952)}- The captain of King Mickey's royal knights and also a good friend. Goofy has stuck by Sora's side through more than one adventure. He has pledged to help Sora through the trials ahead.

* Jiminy Cricket {Pinocchio (1940)}- Hello, worlds! Cricket's the name; Jiminy Cricket. I'll be tagging along with Sora and the others, chronicling every moment of our grand adventure. It's good to be back!

* King Mickey {Steamboat Willie (1928)}- The King of Disney Castle and one of the true Keyblade masters. He was among the first to notice something amiss in the worlds and take action. In order to gather the remaining guardians of light needed to confront Master Xehanort, King Mickey and Riku have gone searching for the lost Keyblade wielders who vanished over ten years ago.

* Riku- A true Keyblade Master and childhood friend of Sora and Kairi. Though he struggled with the darkness in the past, he learned to control his heart and successfully earned the Mark of Mastery. In order to gather the remaining guardians of light needed to confront Master Xehanort, Riku and King Mickey have gone searching for the lost Keyblade wielders who vanished over ten years ago.

* Xigbar- A member of the real Organization XIII. Despite his defeat at Sora's hands, Xigbar has returned, and continues his attempts to manipulate and mislead Sora.

* Ienzo- The human form of Zexion, one of Organization XIII's Nobodies. Before joining the Organization, he was one of Ansem the Wise's apprentices and researched the mysteries of the heart. He is nor hard at work deciphering Ansem's Code.

* Cid {Final Fantasy VII (1997)}- A expert at the workings of Gummi blocks, he helped us on more than one adventure in fighting against the Heartless in both Traverse Town and Radiant Garden. He now is working with Ienzo to decipher Ansem's Code.

* Cindy {Final Fantasy XV (2016)}- Cid's granddaughter, who is just as well-versed in Gummiship creation and tech as Cid himself. She also helps her grandfather and Ienzo in deciphering Ansem's Code.

* Aeleus- The human form of Lexaeus, one of Organization XIII's Nobodies. Before joining the Organization, he was one of Ansem the Wise's apprentices and guarded the castle together with Dilan.

* Young Eraqus/The Boy in White- A young teenager from long ago who would often match wits with his best friend playing chess in between training sessions.

* Young Student Xehanort/The Boy in Black- A young teenager from long ago who would often match wits with his best friend playing chess in between training sessions.

* Yen Sid {The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1940)}- A great sorcerer who watches over the balance between light and darkness. He was also King Mickey's teacher. In the past, he served as a True Keyblade Master, but these days he chooses to mentor Keyblade wielders from his tower. As the final battle with Xehanort looms ahead, Master Yen Sid has been leading the effort to gather the seven guardians of light we need.

* Chip {Private Pluto (1943)}- One of Disney Castle's engineers. Serious and professional, his skills with machinery are top class. He invented the gummi ship and Gummiphone together with his younger brother Dale.

* Dale {Private Pluto (1943)}- One of Disney Castle's engineers. Despite his laid-back personality, his skills with machinery are top class. He invented the gummi ship and Gummiphone together with his older brother Chip.

* Maleficent {Sleeping Beauty (1959)}- An evil fairy who seeks to rule over all worlds. She and Pete are searching for a black box for unknown reasons.

* Pete {Steamboat Willie (1928)}- Maleficent's henchman. The two of them are searching for a black box for unknown reasons.

* Meow Wow- A friend that answered Sora's call through the power of the Heartbinder. In the Sleeping Realms, it (and several other types of Dream Eaters) helped Sora and Riku in their test for the Mark of Mastery.

* Hercules {Hercules (1997)}- A hero with a kind heart and tremendous strength. He was born a god, but lives down on earth as a mortal. We know Herc very well from the many adventures we've shared together.

* Megara {Hercules (1997)}- A woman dear to Hercules' heart. In the past, Hades blackmailed her into doing his bidding, but meeting Hercules put an end to that dark chapter of her life.

* Philoctetes {Hercules (1997)}- A renowned trainer of heroes who has whipped countless hopefuls into shape, including Hercules.

* Pegasus {Hercules (1997)}- A flying horse and Hercules' trusty partner. He was a gift from Herc's father, Zeus.

* Zeus {Hercules (1997)}- Hercules' father and king of the gods of Olympus. His brother Hades had tried time and again to ursurp power from him, but was thwarted each time by Hercules (often with assistance from us).

* Hermes {Hercules (1997)}- One of the gods of Olympus, and the lookout messenger for the kingdom.

* Apollo {Hercules (1997)}- One of the gods of Olympus and the brother of Artemis; he attempted to hold back the Titans' assault on the mountain, but failed until we stepped in to save the day.

* Artemis {Hercules (1997)}- One of the gods of Olympus, and the sister of Apollo; she attempted to hold back the Titans' assault on the mountain, but failed until we stepped in to save the day.

* Hades {Hercules (1997)}- God of the Underworld. Undaunted by the losses he suffered at Hercules' hands, he revived the Titans and tried to use them to overthrow Zeus and claim Olympus as his own.

* Pain {Hercules (1997)}- One of Hades' comically incompetent henchmen, he and Panic were put in charge of trying to kill Hercules when he was a baby, only to fail and get beaten up. They go along with their master's whims as they plot to take over Olympus.

* Panic {Hercules (1997)}- One of Hades' comically incompetent henchmen, he and Pain were put in charge of trying to kill Hercules when he was a baby, only to fail and get beaten up. They go along with their master's whims as they plot to take over Olympus.

* Rock Titan {Hercules (1997)}- A gargantuan being made of solid stone. We once fought against this in one of Phil's tournaments on our first adventure.

* Ice Titan {Hercules (1997)}- A gargantuan being made of frigid ice. We once fought against this in one of Phil's tournaments on our first adventure.

* Lava Titan {Hercules (1997)}- A gargantuan being made of molten lava.

* Tornado Titan {Hercules (1997)}- A gargantuan being made of violent winds.

* Earth Core Heartless- If you want to rock these baddies' world, aim for the face; their pointy posteriors will only deflect your blows. Physical attacks will pass through them when they sand-travel, but spells still hit home, so mash that magic! When they gather sand and grow enormous, a Goofy Bombardier will cut them down to size in no time.

* Air Soldier Heartless- A Soldier in flight is no cause for fright; just watch for that charging attack and you'll be all right. When they fly out of walloping range, a blast of magic will do the trick.

* Rock Troll Heartless- Think this massive, musclebound monster's a slowpoke? Think again. Think it's no big deal when it stops swinging around that huge axe and wears it as a mask? Think again... again! Just keep swinging. You may not be able to damage the big guy while he's masked, but you can break his fancy face.

* Satyr Heartless- Aside from a mean punch, the biggest threat from these bullies is their stampede attack. They always lower their visor before trying to ram you. If you can break the horns off those helms, you'll get the rest of the fight "free of charge". In formation, they're tougher to wrangle. Either break their ranks with a Trinity Guard, or keep your distance and pepper them with magic.

* Darkside Heartless- A colossal Heartless that arose before Sora in a land of endless sea and sky. It looks different from other Darksides Sora has battled with, but the cause remains a mystery.

* Shadow Heartless- These shifty shades skulk around, then strike out of the blue. Stay locked on to make sure they don't give you the slip. They're immune to normal attacks when they dive beneath the surface, but a splash of Water magic will yank them out of hiding in a hurry!

* Flame Core Heartless- Make snuffing out these flame-flinging fiends a top priority, or you're toast! And who ever said to fight fire with fire never met these things; your red hot spells won't even tickle. When in danger, they'll burst into flames and really bring the heat. Douse them with a well-aimed Water or Blizzard spell to chill them out, then finish the job.

* Water Core Heartless- Hit these sopping scoundrels while they're coated in water and they'll only teleport away. That's your cue to bring the magical heat; a Fire spell will evaporate that shield in no time. Don't get caught out in their rain, or you'll come down with the extremely annonying cloud status.

* Soldier Heartless- As threats go, these aren't all that threatening, but that's no reason to be reckless. Just be careful not to get surrounded. Focus on taking them down one by one!

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and remember to leave a review!


	8. New Yet Familiar

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 8: New Yet Familiar

"Well, before we go any further, how about we test this phone out with a photo to remember this by?" Goofy suggested to Sora.

"Yeah, that would be neat," Sora replied as he held the camera out in a 'selfie' mode and posed with Jiminy, Donald and Goofy. "Say cheese!" After the camera light flashed, Sora checked the photo album section of the Gummiphone, proud of the picture they took. Soon after, the team then set out into the vast reaches of space, fighting through enemy ships and searching for treasure until they finally reached Twilight Town.

"Wonder what everybody's up to down there?" Donald mused, as they embarked off the ship, entering the Tram District of the town.

"Hey, do you think we should've mentioned about Maleficent and Xigbar while we were back at the tower?" Goofy asked.

"Nah, everyone's on edge as it is, no need to put more on their plate," Sora told his friends.

"I guess so, but that whole talk about the Box..." Donald replied.

"This is Pete we're talking about; that means it's no big deal." The group then stopped as they saw one of the railway trams drive past. "Cool, the trams are still here!"

"Sora, we haven't been gone that long," Donald told Sora.

"Maybe Sora's just feeling everything that Roxas felt," Goofy proposed.

"Y'know, I actually saw Roxas in the Sleeping Realm," Sora replied.

"And he was in the Datascape! That's where a version of you was tested to see if you could handle the hurt inside ya." Donald added.

"Well, I do know hurt; when I lost my friends and the Keyblade, I realized having nothing and nobody to turn to was the worst kind of hurt. But that just shows how much you all mean to me."

"He sounds like Data Sora did," Donald said to Goofy.

"Well of course, any Sora is still Sora!" Goofy replied.

"So, if I'm feeling what Roxas feels, we must be in the right place. I don't care what it takes, I'll find you, Roxas!" Sora declared, only to have a bizarre thought enter the back of his mind.

" _So you wish to seek our liege?_ "

"Wha-?" Sora gasped, confused about the voice in his head, only to snap his attention towards the horde of Nobodies that spawned in front of the three heroes. "Nobodies! Good thing we're an expert at this!" In no time at all, Sora and the others managed to beat back the Nobodies that kept spawning in the town, leaving them to recollect their thoughts once more.

"What was the voice? I'm sure I heard it before," Sora asked himself.

"Are you sure it wasn't just the wind?" Goofy questioned.

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't," Sora replied.

"Where did they come from?!" a voice called out from the distance.

"I don't know! Just keep running!" another voice answered the first, as the sound of pounding footsteps grew closer.

"See? Wait... I know who that is," Sora said, as he saw Hayner, Pence, and Olette running their way.

"Hey, Sora! Bye, Sora!" Hayner called out as the three ran past Sora and the others, as the heroes saw a swarm of Shadow Heartless were trailing after them.

"Go someplace safe! We'll take care of them!" Sora told the residents of the town as he and his friends got ready to fight. The swarm put up quite a struggle, leaving the heroes admittedly in over their heads, but with some quick thinking, they managed to hold the monsters off long enough as they retreated away to parts unknown. After the fight ended, Hayner and the others walked over to Sora.

"Nice fighting, Sora. Thanks!" Hayner told Sora.

"Guys! It's been ages!" Sora told them.

"Really? It hasn't been that long," Hayner replied.

"So does this mean strange things are happening again?" Pence asked.

"Are you kidding? When do you see shadowy blobs about on a regular basis?"

"I guess you're right. The creatures last time were bright white, so these must be different. Let's get to sleuthing then!" Pence answered.

"But you know we already finished our school project days ago, silly!" Olette told her friend, before talking with Sora again. "But still, you three wouldn't be here unless it was for a good reason."

"Actually, we're here looking for Roxas. Remember when we went off to the other Twilight Town?" Sora asked.

"I don't know any Roxas, but the name sounds familiar," Hayner replied, just as Goofy pulled out a photo from his pocket, that showed the three alongside Roxas in front of the Old Mansion.

"Tell you what, we'll help you find Roxas. You guys check the Old Mansion, and we'll look around town for tips about him," Olette offered.

"Thanks, and before I forget, want to take a picture with this Gummiphone I got?" Sora asked as everyone got together for the photo.

"Hold on, who's gonna take it?" Pence asked. After drawing straws, Goofy decided to be the one to take the picture. After it was done, everyone admired the image when Olette found a mark on the wall that caught her attention.

"Hey, isn't that a Lucky Emblem?" Olette asked.

"A what now?" Sora wondered.

"Those are supposed to be really popular all over town. Find one, and they might bring you good luck."

"Okay, that's something we should look out for," Sora answered, as the group went their separate ways. As the team set off toward the Mansion, they passed two citizens chatting with each other.

"Seifer hasn't been around for a long while. I wonder why?"

"Didn't you hear? Rai and Fuu went with him on some kind of warrior's journey, but their little tagalong friend just hangs around skulking at the Bistro. Guess they thought he wouldn't be strong enough to help."

Overhearing this, Sora and his friends turned around to see a spot where vacant space used to be last time was now home to a giant restaurant, where a boy with his face shrouded in shadows sat at crying.

"Hey, are you okay?" Goofy asked the kid.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," the kid answered, wiping away tears with his sleeve. "It's just ever since Seifer left, all the other kids have been picking on me, trying to use me so they could pull tricks. It was horrible!"

"Your name is Vivi, right? It looks like you could use a good friend," Donald suggested.

"You really mean that? Well, all I can do is use a couple of magic spells, but I heard you say you wanted to bring back somebody named Roxas. I'll do everything I can to help you." Vivi told the group.

"It's okay, we're not judging your strength. We've already been through that," Sora told Vivi, glaring offhandedly at Donald, who gulped and gave a look as if to say "What did I do?". "We'll help you find a way to prove yourself to everyone here that you're not a pushover."

"T-thank you so much! We'd better get a move then, huh, Mister Sora?" Vivi told his new friend as they set out to enter the Old Mansion.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I decided to keep in the reference that Seifer was away on a journey of his own, but I promise that somewhere down the line in the story he'll be back for the Struggle tournament, alongside Setzer and some more surprise characters. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and remember to leave a review!


	9. The Youthful Seer, the Brave Consult

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 9: The Youthful Seer, a Brave Consult and a Culinary Rodent

After the team traveled through the rest of the town, they went to where they knew the Mansion path was before, only to find it patched up with bricks.

"What's the big idea?!" Donald quacked.

"Right, you all probably didn't know, but the town's new mayor wanted the path to the Mansion boarded up. I can't remember why, but he said he didn't want people stumbling in on something important there," Vivi told the confused trio.

"Sounds kind of suspicious... but I guess we'll have to find another way in there," Sora remarked, as they kept looking around for points of entry, coming up short until they noticed a young girl wandering around a corner toward the Underground concourse. "Guys, let's try over that way!"

Sora and the team then continued through the sewers that made up the Underground path, until they saw the girl lying unconscious with Shadow Heartless and feline-like Heartless hiding inside pots surrounding her in a circle.

"We have to help her," Donald called out as the four heroes got into fighting, with Vivi taking out a cluster of them with a strong Blizzard spell, after which he smacked them across the elongated pathway like a curling marker for Sora to finish them off. After the Heartless were defeated, the team ran over to the girl to see if she was okay.

"She's all right; just passed out, that's all," Sora said after checking her vital signs. Donald then proceeded to use a Cure spell on the girl to ease her fatigue as she woke up, summoning a broadsword in her right hand, springing up into attack position still thinking she was under attack.

"Whoa, easy! We're all friends here," Goofy assured, as she lowered her weapon. "What are you doin' all the way out here?"

"Sorry, those tiny ant thingies got the jump on me. I was going down towards the Old Mansion because there's something down there that I think can help me find someone," the girl explained.

"Hold on! I think I remember who you are now! You're Serah, right?" Vivi exclaimed as he seemed to remember something about the girl.

"Yup, that's me. Serah Farron, at your service," the girl replied, introducing herself. "I guess Edea is helping to prep the Struggle tournament for this year, and you slipped away from that?"

"Edea?" Sora and the others asked Vivi and Serah in confusion.

"Edea's a nice lady who runs a home for troubled youth here in Twilight Town. Seifer always saw her like a mother, since he always said around me, Rai, and Fuu, that he never knew his real one. She also looks after the two of us as well," Vivi explained.

"We're looking for a way to bring back Roxas," Goofy mentioned.

"Roxas? Who's that?" Serah asked.

"Roxas is... well, he's a friend that needs my help. We're like brothers in a way," Sora told Serah.

"Oh, I see. So he's like Lightning," Serah replied, understanding what Sora was saying about Roxas.

"Lightning? Who is that?" Donald and Goofy asked, unaware that Serah suddenly had a vision in the back of her mind that the tide of Heartless from before was rushing to attack them. Instinctively, she then summoned her broadsword forth and jumped in front of the group.

"Look out!" Serah cried as she cut the swarm in half with a broadsword slash. "Do something! I can't hold them off forever!" Sora and the others got into their battle stance, as Goofy called Sora and Donald over for a Trinity attack.

"Vivi, we need ya to cast a shield spell quick!" Goofy told Vivi, whose eyes widened in shock.

"R-really? Well, I'll try!" Vivi answered, as he focused his energy into the spell and then unleashed it. "Barrier!"

"Now!" Goofy called, as Sora and his two friends charged through the swarm with Goofy's shield, eliminating the threat.

"That took care of 'em. Now, I think we'd better run before one of those come back," Serah told the others as they began to run ahead through a cellar door opening in the distance.

"You didn't answer our question though! Who is Lightning, and how did you know that swarm was coming back?" Sora asked.

"I'll explain everything once we're inside the mansion," Serah replied. "Those doors are gonna lead us into the Forest outside!" Soon enough, the heroes managed to escape from the underground and end up taking in the fresh air of the words.

"Finally, we're out of that stuffy tunnel!" Donald remarked as the group continued onward, only to duck as they saw fruit being flung at them.

"Hey, mind the ingredients, you ruffians! We have no quarrel with you, so just let us go on our way!" a man shouted at the Heartless that were throwing the fruit.

"Looks like trouble; it's a good thing we're here now," Sora suggested as they ran up to help, noticing a rat perched on top of a tree branch trying to avoid getting swiped at by Heartless.

* * *

 **Remy's POV**

 _I know what you all must be thinking: what's a rat doing in a dangerous part of the woods like this? Well, my name is Remy, and I think it's increasingly apparent I need to rethink my life a little bit. So what's the problem? First of all, with being a rat, life is hard. And second, I have a highly developed sense of taste and smell. Back in the world I called home, the work of Chef Gusteau drove me to become a chef, and now that drive brought me here. Yeah, it's all crazy in a new world, but it isn't completely terrible. That new chef, I think he's called Ignis, is nice and formidable in combat, so it gives me peace of mind to find ingredients without too much bother. But seriously, I think now we might've bit off more than we can chew- no pun intended. If Dad knew this is how my life would end, he'd be turning over top of Ma's grave. Not death by humans, but death by... whatever these things are... huh? Looks like the cavalry must've heard us calling for rescue. But are they good enough to take these creatures out? I honestly don't think I can last much longer!_

* * *

Sora and the others arrived next to the man who was holding off a group of Powerwilds with daggers, but was beginning to become worn down.

"Cure!" Vivi cried as he healed the man.

"Much obliged, children, but I think it's best that you get to safety. These monsters don't look like the kind of creatures you should take lightly," the man told Sora and the others.

"No way! We know how to handle these things!" Sora told the man as he equipped his Hero's Origin Keyblade.

"Well, if you're certain, then I'll help you in defeating them," the man answered as he resumed his battle stance. "My name is Ignis, by the way."

"I'm Sora, now let's take these Heartless down!" Sora replied as the team got to work taking out the enemies until the area was once again clear.

"Again, thank you for the assistance. The two of us were out gathering supplies before we were ambushed and as much as I hate to admit, we were ill prepared to counter this confrontation." Ignis told the heroes as the rat from earlier scurried down the tree and crawled up on his partner's shoulder.

"It's no big deal, that's just what friends do. Well, I guess we'll see you around again sometime," Sora told the two as the friends continued onward towards the Mansion once more.

"A rather bold sort of fellow he was, wouldn't you say?" Ignis asked the rat Remy, who nodded in agreement before peering down at the fruit on the ground, bending down to pick them up. "He could've been a little more considerate enough to help us pick all of this up, however. Well, I guess our boss will put him hard at work then, that much is guaranteed."

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. If you noticed at the start of the chapter, there will be some Marvel representation in the story at some point, and Twilight Town's mysterious new mayor holds the key to who will be involved. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and remember to leave a review!


	10. Mansion Mystery and Meeting Dr Strange

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 10: Mansion Mystery and Meeting Dr. Strange

As the group approached the gate of the old mansion, they noticed a unfamiliar sigil where the blazon mark of the clock tower previously was.

"That wasn't there last time," Sora mused. "Somebody must've renovated the place." He then turned towards a window where the silken curtains fluttered with the wind due to an opening letting in air. Silently, Sora's thoughts drifted to the memories of Roxas seeing the prison-like room where Ansem the Wise- then known as DiZ- kept Namine captive in as they tried to restore Sora's memory.

"They did say the mansion is supposed to be haunted," Goofy mentioned, as Donald felt a shiver run down his feathers. The group was lost deep in thought that they didn't see Hayner, Pence, and Olette approach from behind, as they startled Donald, Vivi, Serah and Goofy.

"Gawrsh, ya nearly gave us a heart attack!" Goofy wheezed in shock.

"Sorry, did we scare you?" Hayner snarked in a friendly way.

"Not a chance!" Donald replied, calling his bluff.

"So, did you guys find any leads around town?" Sora asked.

"Afraid not, nobody in town has any clue about who Roxas is," Pence explained.

"The mansion is the only place left for answers," Olette added. "So are you all ready?"

"Another Twilight Town awaits!" Vivi proclaimed, as the gaggle of friends entered the mansion together, finding the clutter from their past adventure cleared away, with a revised entrance hall greeting them.

"I wonder who lives here," Sora asked out loud before he was stopped by an ethereal whip being snapped at him. The whip belonged to a blue-robed man with a goatee adorned with a red cape and a golden necklace around his neck that had a emerald gemstone in the center.

"Forgive me for being so bold, but I don't recall ever seeing you having an appointment to come here," the man spoke.

"Why don't you introduce yourself first, before this has to escalate into a bad time?" Hayner snapped.

"Hayner, there's no need to be so rude!" Olette scolded her friend.

"My apologies, he's right; I didn't introduce myself. My name is Dr. Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, and I bought this old mansion to retool it into something I call the Sanctum Santorum," the man said as he introduced himself to the gang.

"Sorcerer? So you're some kind of magician, or something?" Sora asked.

"The more technical term I'd use is Master of the Mystic Arts, but yes."

"Your magic doesn't look all that impressive," Donald remarked, before Strange opened a wormhole in the ground that Donald was sent falling through with a scream of surprise.

"Anyway, what brings you all here?" Strange asked.

"We were wanting to use the old laboratory computer in the basement to try and find a way to bring back a friend of ours. His name is Roxas, and he lived in a digital version of this town," Pence told the doctor.

"Well then, under normal circumstances I would use my sling ring to take you to that dimension myself, but my powers seem to be limited in this world."

"I guess operating the computer is our only option," Sora deduced.

"That is precisely why I had the lab reconstructed with my magic. And you don't need to worry about Heartless getting inside the Mansion, I placed a protective spell over the Sanctum in case something like that should ever occur. Now if you'll follow me..." Strange told the group as they made their way downstairs.

"Wait! What about Donald?" Vivi and Goofy asked.

"Ah, right, your friend," Strange replied as he cut the wormhole spell out sending Donald falling out of a opening in the air, as he flopped to the floor beak first.

"I was falling- for thirty minutes!" Donald hissed angrily, as Serah and Goofy tried to stifle a laugh.

* * *

Downstairs in the computer room, Pence climbed into the work seat as he got to typing in the password.

"It was... sea salt ice cream, right?" Pence asked before they were logged into the system. "Now, let's see if we can get that transporter working." As the teen typed up the protocol to activate the transporter, they were startled when the screen suddenly flashed red with an error message.

"It's no use! Looks like it's been protected," Serah lamented.

"Protected from what?" Sora questioned Pence.

"If I were to guess, I'd say protected from us," he replied. "One thing's for certain; we can't use it to get to the other Twilight Town."

"Why the hell not?" Hayner grimaced. "We sent Sora there last time!"

"And there's no other way?" Olette wondered out loud.

"Doesn't seem like it," Pence answered sadly, noticing Sora drooping his head down dejectedly. Stephen Strange put his hand on Sora's shoulder and gave him an apologetic look.

"Kid, I'm truly sorry. If there was anything I could do to help, I'd do it, but I'm out of my element in this world." The silence was then broken as Sora answered his ringing Gummiphone and was greeted by Ienzo.

"Hello, Sora. You wouldn't happen to be in front of a computer right now, would you?" he asked the Key Bearer.

"Well, yeah, but how did you know?" Sora replied.

"You see, I was tinkering with the data for Ansem's Code, and I noticed that someone had logged in to the system from another terminal. I figured it probably had been you."

"Oh, the log terminal, right!" Sora said knowingly. "Actually, a friend of mine was the one who logged in." He then directed the face of the phone towards Pence.

"Oh, hello! My name's Pence. I'm the one who logged in."

"As long as it's being run by a person we can trust," Ienzo responded, as Pence proceeded to explain that the programming for the transporter was locked out to them, so they couldn't access the way to the other Twilight Town. "I see, another Twilight Town, huh?"

"So it's like a Datascape!" Jiminy exclaimed.

"A what now?" everyone except for Donald and Goofy asked at once.

"We've seen one before," Goofy told Sora. "That's what we used to investigate Jiminy's Journal."

"Very well, now then, Pence, let's get a network connection set up." Ienzo instructed, and then after some time had passed, sharing between the two computers was enabled. "Listen, Sora, now that the networks have been linked together, I can alter the privileges setting to allow access to the transporter, but it'll take some time."

"And what about Roxas?" Sora asked.

"Well, for the virtual world to be completely realized, it stands to reason Ansem would've included Roxas's full data in the construction. In layman's terms, we'll be able to decipher the Code more quickly and analyze the virtual Twilight Town for Roxas's presence in its history."

"Great! I'm no computer expert, so just do that!" Sora said gratefully.

"The two of us, along with Cid, Chip and Dale will take care of things for now, and we'll contact you if anything comes up."

"I'll provide assistance as well, if I may, Ienzo," Strange offered. "My name is Stephen Strange, and as the current owner of Ansem's Old Mansion, I'll assist Pence in cracking the code."

"Understood; now good luck, Sora." Ienzo told the boy before he hung up.

"Oh no, I just remembered! Me and Olette both have work to do! After all, we'll need the cash if we want to go down to the beach!" Hayner remarked as he and Olette bid the others farewell and went on their way.

* * *

Outside of the Mansion, Sora and the others began their walk back to town with Strange accompanying them outside. They made it through the gate when they were stopped by hearing a familiar voice.

"So, you truly think you can bring back Roxas?" Sora knew that condescending venomous voice from anywhere as Ansem's, or rather, Xehanort's Heartless.

"Ansem!" Sora and the others responded, as they went on the defensive.

"And he's not alone," another voice added, revealing himself as Xehanort's Nobody, Xemnas.

"What matter of foul dark beings are you two?" Dr. Strange questioned.

Ignoring the hero's question Xemnas explained "Roxas was never meant to exist at all. That fleeting hope you seek in finding him is impossible."

"You're wrong!" Vivi shouted, as he pointed his stave in Xemnas's face. "I may not remember him, but somehow I can feel his heart's memories inside each of our own!"

"Perhaps you are correct, and in the event you managed to separate his heart from yours, where do you propose putting it?"

"Roxas used to live in the other Twilight Town, right?" Sora asked. "So we'll just put it there."

"You truly are dense! The other Twilight Town is just data," Ansem responded coldly.

"But a heart can live anywhere, even inside data!" Sora rebuked. "If you two can exist separately, there's no reason why me and Roxas can't!"

"Well, if you are that devoted to finding him, nothing would please us more than Roxas's return, of course," Xemnas told Sora, as Neoshadows and Dusks slowly started to rise from the ground. "Just know there is only way to do so. Now..."

As the Heartless and Nobodies pounced on the group, Ansem and Xemnas spoke together before vanishing. "...Set your heart free!"

Strange reacted quickly, as he summoned forth a clear glass-like barrier and slammed it into the direction of the Dusks before they could hit the heroes.

"What was that?!" Donald and Goofy asked.

"I sent those monsters into a pocket space called the Mirror Dimension. They won't bother us now, but it won't fool the rest of them now!"

"They're all going down!" Sora exclaimed as the heroes prepared for battle. To begin the fight, Sora focused his hopes and power into the Heartbinder, and summoned forth Meow Wow, who happily jumped on top of him, licking his face.

"I know, I missed you too! But we've got some bad company here," Sora told the Dream Eater as he had the Dream Eater puff up like a balloon and stomp on the floor with the force of a falling sack of hammers. He then finished the attack as Meow Wow rose in the air and its illusion popped, sending a drove of Dream Eaters on the assault to take most of the opponents out. As Donald and Goofy returned, Sora joined forces with Donald and Strange to unleash an ultimate attack.

"By the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, I banish you from this realm!" Strange proclaimed as he summoned restraining ropes that trapped the remaining Heartless and Nobodies as Sora and Donald cast a meteor shower attack, destroying the creatures. After the battle, Sora was left deep in thought.

"Hercules said he wanted to save Meg with all of his heart last time... so it's settled. I'm going to get Roxas out with all of my heart, no matter what it takes! Are you with me, Donald, Goofy?"

"You betcha!" Sora's friends replied, as Vivi and Serah also echoed the same sentiment.

"I don't know what the Organization wants, but we better tell the others to watch out. So, I guess this is goodbye for now, Strange." Sora told the Sorcerer.

"It seems that way, but I'm certain that our paths will cross again someday. Until then, farewell, Sora, Donald, Goofy," Strange told the group as he returned inside the Mansion.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter, and we now have the first Marvel character in Kingdom Hearts: Doctor Stephen Strange! I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, true believers, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	11. A New Recipe and Yozora's Plight

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 11: A New Recipe & Yozara's Plight

After some time passed wandering through the underground, Sora and his friends eventually made it back to the Tram Common, running past the bistro when a familiar voice spoke to them.

"Well, bless me bagpipes! It was you ladies who rescued my chefs," he called out.

"Ah, Uncle Scrooge. It's great to see ya!" Donald said with a smile to the dapperly dressed elderly duck.

"Scrooge is here? But I thought he sold ice cream in Hollow Bastion," Sora questioned Goofy.

"He does, but Scrooge is not only a world traveler like us, he's also a professional business opportunist," Goofy replied.

"Oh, cool," Sora remarked as the group greeted Scrooge.

"Oh, 'ello Sora. You're looking rather hale and hearty. I heard word you're on another adventure with these two, so I must ask that Donald isn't causing trouble out there."

"Oh, he's been a total handful," Sora answered as Donald frowned in dismay.

"Why did you have to say that, Sora?" Donald lamented.

"You've been giving me flak ever since Olympus," Sora whispered to Donald. "This is just to make us even."

"So, Scrooge, what were you saying about a chef?" Goofy asked, to change the subject back to a more pleasant one.

"Right; the cooks of me bistro wanted to show ye their appreciation, so they made this for you," Scrooge explained as he handed Sora a small white package, which the group happily opened and saw it contained a fruit-adorned pastry inside.

"It looks delicious! This whole thing is for us? What exactly is it?" Sora asked, as something seemed to jitter underneath Scrooge's hat.

"Allow me to explain," the man the group met before in the forest said as he stepped forward. "Our esteemed chef wanted you to have this tarte aux fruits with a dulce de leche cream finish as a token of our gratitude."

"Aye, Ignis, but I think our chef himself wants to talk with them personally about it," Scrooge added, as he removed his hat as the rodent from before hopped out on top of it. "May I formally introduce to you... our Little Chef."

"Oh, it's you!" Serah spoke up as she recognized the rodent from before. "So this is your bistro?"

"Yes, me fair lass," Scrooge began to explain. "It began one day when I was enjoying one of the best meals of my life, and when I asked to meet the chef, I came across this wee genius and his keepers. He wanted to expand his culinary horizons and so I financed this business expedition to make it all possible. Now that brings me to our chef's request: to find as much ingredients as you can, especially anything out of the norm, because the mark of a great chef is innovation! Can ya be sure to keep an eye out?"

"Yeah, Uncle Scrooge! That sounds like fun!" Donald replied as Hayner and Olette came back with an armful of posters in hand.

"Boss, we finished setting up!" Hayner told Scrooge, as he unraveled the poster to show a film advertisement entitled 'Giantland'. "The posters are all ready for the theater."

"Theater?" everyone else asked. "You set up a movie theater too, Scrooge?"

"But of course! Who could resist dinner and a movie?" Scrooge continued. "After patrons eat the quality food at our bistro, they can then relax over at our theater for a series of movies. It's like printing out money!"

"Say what you will about Uncle Scrooge, but he certainly knows how to run a business," Goofy told Sora.

"Yeah, I'm no business expert, but I'd hate to be one of his competitors." Sora replied. "That reminds me, Hayner, Olette, there's something I should warn you about. Those creepy monsters might come back, so stay on your toes."

"Are you saying you have to go again?" Olette said sadly.

"I'm afraid so; we still need to find a way to save Roxas. But can you do us a favor and wish us luck in bringing him back?" Sora added.

"No problem, I'm practically wishing right now!" Hayner remarked cheerfully, as the group was unaware that the Organization was watching after them from afar.

"The boy never would've gotten our message if we didn't spell it out for him," Ansem remarked to Xemnas. "But we must be cautious. He's ruined our plans more than once."

"That is why we have more contingency plans at hand," Xemnas replied deviously.

* * *

After finding enough ingredients, Sora went in with Little Chef to begin working on the meals.

"Is it all ready yet?" Sora asked, only to find little to nothing already set up for cooking, failing to take notice of the tiny chef scurrying up Sora onto his scalp and pulling him by his hair. "Whoa- hey! You're gonna make _me_ cook?"

"What else did you expect?" Ignis remarked as he stepped into the kitchen, adjusting his glasses and stepping aside against the wall. "Our Little Chef believes that those he deems special enough to help him take a more... hands-on approach. But fear not, I shall assist you on any of the more complex dishes should the occasion arise."

"Aren't you forgetting about another experienced chef in this kitchen, Monsieur Ignis?" a woman who was also cooking in another part of the kitchen called out to Ignis.

"Apologies, Colette Tatou. I didn't know you were prepping the food right now."

"Colette? I didn't know-" Sora began before Colette cut off his line of thought.

"That there was a woman chef here?" Colette accused, as she caught Sora's shirt sleeve with a knife. "As much as I respect McDuck for giving me a position in this kitchen, it doesn't change that it is still bound by rules made by stubborn old men, making it impossible for someone like me to serve as this bistro's Sioux chef. And yet, here I am. Pray tell, how do you think this happened?"

"Hey, I wasn't judging you! I was only going to say-" Sora tried to set the record straight.

"It is because I am the toughest cook in this kitchen! Be certain you can work your way around this bistro, or you won't even last an hour in this line of work," Colette concluded, removing the knife free from Sora's sleeve. "And another thing: be sure to keep that station of yours clear, or else things will get lost quick."

"Okay, then let's get cooking!" Sora exclaimed as the chef assisted him with cutting up pears, apples and apricots to make a platter of fresh fruit, as Sora also came up with an idea to carve a smaller chunk of the apple into a decorative flower shape. "Manufique!" Sora laughed as they celebrated the success of their preparations. They then proceeded to filet and scale a Sale fish and garnish it with pepper, parsley and caviar eggs after grilling the fish up. The team then enjoyed their meal of Sale Menuiere and fresh fruit before they bid their friends farewell and set out to explore the next world.

* * *

In a forest hidden away someplace where time has no meaning, Sora's friend Kairi was busy writing a letter to her friend to let him know about the fruits of her training.

" _Dear Sora,_ " she began. " _I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye. Did Master Yen Sid tell you? I'm training to become a Keyblade wielder like you. That's right; no more waiting for you to come back from your adventures. I want to do my part to help you out, so Merlin brought me to his home of Avalon, where we can take as long as we need to complete our training. He truly is an amazing wizard. Lea is also with me training, and he keeps telling me how sorry he is for everything that happened last time. He stares deeply at me sometimes and when I ask why, he insists that nothing's wrong. Anyway, I hope to see you again soon. Tomorrow me and Lea are sparring with our new Keyblades. With love, Kairi._ "

* * *

Meanwhile, in a land far away, a teenage boy and his two companions were rushing through a gauntlet of rogue Imperial soldiers and giant mechas in a large city.

"Yozora, stay focused! I've got these pesky Gigas on the ropes; now go save Stella!" a red-haired boy wearing a fedora exclaimed as he cast a plasma attack on enemy soldiers so his friend could advance, while another friend used a claymore weapon to cut down one of the so-called Gigas.

"Thanks, Magia! Now it's time we settle this once and for all," the boy, Yozora called out to his partner Magia. "Aegis needs some help too!"

As a young woman, Stella, used as much of her power to try and undo the damage the Gigas were causing, she was eventually snatched by the head elite Gigas armor, held in a vice grip to keep her from screaming for help.

"No..." Yozora murmured sadly before pulling out a crossbow. "I've had enough of th-" However, this epic scene was cut short as it was revealed to be merely an TV advertisement for a game in another world, being watched by a plastic green dinosaur and a rubber piggy bank until a cloth and felt cowboy named Woody stepped on the off button to the TV remote.

"Hey, it was just getting to the best part, Woody!" the dinosaur complained.

"Sorry about that, Rex," Woody told the dinosaur. "But this is no time for television."

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	12. Twilight Town Character Journal Entries

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 12: Twilight Town Character Entries

* Hayner- An unruly boy who lives in Twilight Town. He hangs out with Pence and Olette, and feels an uncanny bond with Roxas. We know Hayner from our last adventure together.

* Pence- A boy who lives in Twilight Town who is fascinated by urban legends of the town and has a knack for technology. He hangs out with Hayner and Olette, and feels an uncanny bond with Roxas. We know Pence from our last adventure together.

* Olette- A girl who lives in Twilight Town who is quite mature for her age. She hangs out with Hayner and Pence, and feels an uncanny bond with Roxas. We know Olette from our last adventure together.

* Doctor Stephen Strange {Doctor Strange (2016)}- A sorcerer from another dimension who now makes his home in Ansem the Wise's old mansion. In his past, he was an arrogant surgeon whose career was uprooted when he was injured in a dangerous crash until he learned the power of the Mystic Arts and took the path of the Sorcerer Supreme. He now uses his vast arcane means (and the Infinity Gem of Time that resides in his Necklace of Agamotto) in order to protect all realities from utter destruction.

* Scrooge McDuck {Scrooge McDuck and Money (1967)}- A jet-setting tycoon and uncle to Donald. He recently entered the restaurant business in a joint venture with Little Chef.

* Remy/Little Chef {Ratatouille (2007)}- The chef of a well-reviewed restaurant, a far cry from his humble beginnings in the attic of a aging Parisian country house. After meeting Scrooge, he was encouraged to come to Twilight Town and open a bistro, driven by the inspiration of his culinary idol Chef Gusteau. At this bistro, he has been using ingredients from other worlds to further his culinary talents.

* Colette Tatou {Ratatouille (2007)}- A free-spirited woman who was one of the most talented chefs in Remy's old restaurant. She may appear cold and distant, but that is only to mask the passion she has for the culinary arts.

* Vivi {Final Fantasy IX (2000)}- A small boy who's proficient in magic and is part of Seifer's posse: the Disciplinary Committee. When Seifer left on a warrior's journey and left Vivi behind, the poor kid was bullied by other kids until we came along and helped him learn how to stand up for himself.

* Serah Farron {Final Fantasy XIII (2010)}- A girl in Twilight Town who is impulsive but well-meaning as she faces trouble head on. She says she is looking for her sister Lightning, who according to her, vanished without a trace one day.

* Ignis Scientia {Final Fantasy XV (2016)}- A young man in Twilight Town who works at Scrooge's bistro, Ignis has a flair for creating incredible meals and is also a tactical genius in the battlefield, in due part to his calm and collected compsure in the heat of the action.

* Edea {Final Fantasy VIII (1999)}- A gentle motherly figure who runs a home for troubled youth in Twilight Town. Vivi, Serah, and Seifer call this woman their mom, having never known their real ones.

* Huey {Donald's Nephews (1938)}- One of Donald's triplet nephews, known for his trademark red cap. He runs a gummi block shop together with his brothers and their friend Webby.

* Dewey {Donald's Nephews (1938)}- One of Donald's triplet nephews, known for his trademark blue cap. He runs a gummi block shop together with his brothers and their friend Webby.

* Louie {Donald's Nephews (1938)}- One of Donald's triplet nephews, known for his trademark green cap. He runs a gummi block shop with his brothers and their friend Webby.

* Webby Vanderquack {Ducktales (1987)}- A close friend of Huey, Dewey and Louie who is a bit of a tomboy and craves adventure. She has a great admiration for Donald Duck's reputation as the court wizard for King Mickey, and helps the boys run a gummi block shop.

* Ansem- A member of the real Organization XIII. This is Xehanort's Heartless. He was able to regain his original appearance by possessing Riku. In the past, Ansem attempted to open the door to Kingdom Hearts, but was destroyed by Sora and friends before he could succeed. Despite this, Ansem has returned.

* Xemnas- A member of the real Organization XIII. This is Xehanort's Nobody. In the past, he tried to create an artificial Kingdom Hearts from the hearts of people, but Sora and Riku put an end to his plans and Xemnas himself. Despite this, Xemnas has returned.

* Kairi- Sora and Riku's childhood friend. As one of the seven princesses of heart, she became a target of the forces of darkness, but thankfully Sora and Riku came to the rescue. She now trains with Lea as a Keyblade wielder herself to prepare for the final battle ahead.

* Yozora- A prince that is a character in a game called Verum Rex. He faces the epic mission ahead of him with his bodyguards/friends Magia and Aegis as he approaches his regal destiny head on. Now is it just me, or does he look a lot like somebody we know?

* Neoshadow Heartless- These souped-up Shadows hit hard and fast with their jump attacks; if they're in the air, you'd better get out of there. Once they melt into the ground, they're beyond the reach of most attacks, but that's nothing a little Water magic can't fix. Go fight puddles with puddles to get the upper hand!

* Powerwild Heartless- These impish chimps swing through the trees and scrabble along walls while pelting you with nuts. Those rude ruffians! Block whatever they throw and send it right back at them. They'll taunt and tease and try to bait you into attacking. Too bad they failed to realize they're wide open at all times, the silly monkeys...

* Dusk Nobody- Phantasmagorical frights that morph and stretch as they fight. The base form of Nobodies, they answer directly to Xemnas and the other Organization members. Stay locked on, and all of their fancy footwork won't be enough to save them. As tough as they are to predict, there are moments when they just sort of... stand there vacantly. And the best course of action when they space out, is Keyblades out.

* Popcat Heartless- Keep your wits about you when walking past pottery; you never know when it might sprout fuzzy limbs and attack. Once these scaredy-cats show themselves, they'll start running about like crazy. If you try to create some distance, they'll huck smaller pots your way, but a well-timed block might be enough to return those to sender, as it were. Popcats are top-heavy and prone to face-planting. When they stumble, make sure it's the last trip they take.

* Vermilion Samba Heartless- These fiery fliers come to a midair halt and conjure up a sigil before they launch flaming projectiles at you. Use this opportunity to get a strike in at them! When they do start dishing out the rapid-fire spells, keep a cool head and dodge out of the way. Nothing rains on their parade quite like a cool sip of Water magic. If you've got the MP to spare, go ahead and make the splash!

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	13. Toys that Play Together, Stick Together

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 13: Toys That Play Together, Stick Together

As Woody walked past the two toys, the piggy bank- whose name was Hamm- turned over towards Rex and weighed in on his thoughts about the commercial.

"I've gotta say though, those Gigas were pretty impressive. No wonder they're so popular!"

"You really think so?" Rex asked his friend. "Well, I think Yozora was more of a highlight-" he told Hamm before Woody knocked the two toys down in a tackle onto the bed.

"Hey, what gives, Woody?" Hamm questioned.

"Shush! Those masked intruders are back," Woody whispered as another toy, a space ranger action figure named Buzz Lightyear bounded over and the four of them peered over the bedside to see tiny toy soldier Heartless patrolling the floor beneath them.

"All right, everyone. Today's the day we teach those masked intruders who's boss. Is everybody in position?"

"Affirmative, Woody," Buzz told his friend, before they both looked over to Hamm and Rex. "Are you both ready?"

"Hold on, I don't think I'm emotionally prepared for this!" Rex whimpered.

"Get a hold of yourself, Godzilla!" Hamm groaned, before mellowing up and adding with a smile. "Only messing with ya; I've got you covered." Woody then looked over to check on the two other groups in the room- a team of army soldiers and three squeaky toy aliens who waved to Woody to signal their position.

"It's go time," Buzz spoke up, the toys unaware of a third party arriving on the scene under the bed, as Sora and his friends walked from out of the shadows into the light of the room.

"Whuh- where are we?" Sora pondered as they looked around the gigantic room, before he stared down at his now articulated hands and outfit. "Oh my gosh; have we been shrunk?! Donald, what did you do?"

Donald, who now shared a similar action figure form grinned as he reminded Sora about his magic. "I can change our look to blend in, remember? We need to protect the world order."

"World border? What do walls have anything to do with this?" Sora questioned.

"Not to interrupt guys, but I think there's a Heartless infestation at 9 o' clock," Goofy pointed out as he addressed the group's attention to fight the Heartless.

"On my mark, we get ready to fight, okay?" Woody instructed as the toys clenched up ready to jump in and attack until Buzz took notice of a new group of toys come in.

"Hold on!" Buzz warned as he popped his wings out to stop the others from jumping down.

"Buzz, have you lost your batteries?" Woody questioned until he saw the newcomers fighting and eventually defeating the intruders. "Who in the world are those three?"

"Are they new?" Hamm asked as they jumped down to meet their guests in Andy's room. Rex's eyes widened in jubilation as he rushed forward towards Sora.

"You look familiar! I can't believe I'm meeting a real-life hero in the flesh!" Rex gushed as he hugged Sora with his stubby arms.

"Uh, I'm no hero, but my name is..." Sora began to introduce himself before Hamm cut in.

"You're Yozora! That online order Andy's mom made must've finally come in." Everyone then turned around to see Buzz aim his laser at Sora cautiously.

"Stay right where you are; for all we know, the intruders probably sent you here," Buzz remarked.

"But these guys are the number one selling heroes in the country! They might be here to help us figure out where our friends disappeared to, and why your laser starting 'lasering'," Rex suggested.

"We need to be smart about this, Woody. I'll follow your lead," Buzz whispered to Woody.

"So, you're Andy's new toys, huh? You certainly did a number on those masked intruders," Woody told Sora.

"Those are the Heartless," Goofy corrected the cowboy.

"They're the bad guys!" Donald added.

"And we've been fighting against those 'intruders' for a long time now," Sora added onto his friends' words.

"I knew it!" Rex beamed.

"In that case, you're all right in my book," Woody replied, much to Buzz's shock and disbelief. "My name is Woody."

From downstairs, everyone could hear the sound of barking and the pitter-patter of paws racing up a staircase, as the other toys flinched. A voice called after it as another pair of footsteps went up the stairs.

"Buster, slow down! I'm coming," the voice told the other figure coming upstairs.

"Andy's mom is coming! Everyone get back in your places, quick!" Woody exclaimed as they pushed Sora and the others into a corner and froze in place. Soon after, a lanky dachshund scampered into the room, panting excitedly thinking his master Andy had finally come home. Andy's mom, Mrs. Davis followed after, hoping to see Andy kneeling on the floor, playing with his toys only to find the room empty except for his toys scattered in a corner.

"Still no sign of him," she sadly muttered, noticing Sora, Donald and Goofy amidst the pile of toys, but was too distraught to pay them any further mind. "Both Andy and Molly are nowhere to be found. Where on Earth could you have gone to?" She then proceeded to walk out of the room, with Buster sauntering after giving a saddened whimper, sitting by the door after Mrs. Davis closed it.

"Aw, this is terrible that Andy's mom is worried sick, and we can't do a thing about it," Woody lamented as Sora paused and thought deeply about the way his family felt when he finally returned from his previous adventure, long before he and Riku got King Mickey's letter. His mother was absolutely livid that her own son didn't even give any notice on where he was all this time, but once Sora explained to her about his adventure, she became a little more understanding about the whole affair, but nevertheless grounded Sora for a couple days as a result.

"Anyway, my name is Sora," Sora introduced himself. "And these are my friends, Donald and Goofy."

"And I'm- Buzz Lightyear," Buzz replied as he shook Sora's hand as a figurative olive branch between the two to mend fences.

"You can call me Hamm. It's a real honor," Hamm added.

"And I'm Rex. I'm a huge fan of your game. I just leveled my character up to lv. 42, but that Bahamut boss is really giving me and Slinky a hard time. Oh, if only Slink and the others were here; they'd love to meet you!"

"So, you fought against those intruders before, you said. Can you tell us where they came from?" Buzz questioned.

"Well, uh-" Sora tried to tell the space ranger, only to catch Donald glaring at him from the corner of his eye. "I can't really say, but have those intruders been a problem around here for long?"

"No, they only showed up a little while ago, when our friends just disappeared completely," Woody explained. "One day we woke up and it was just only us toys, Buster, and Andy's mom at the house, and there's been no word on where Andy or Molly are off at." Woody and Buzz then proceeded to look at the inscription of Andy's name printed on the bottom of their boots.

"Andy really is the best friend toys like us could hope to have. That's why every day just feels harder to just keep waiting."

"Well, I think we better start looking for him then! Are there any clues we have to go off of?" Sora asked, ready and willing to help the toys find their owner.

"Well, there is one huge thing," Woody mentioned.

"When those intruders first appeared, and nearly everybody went MIA, they didn't come alone. They were led by somebody dressed in black, just like you," Buzz added.

"That must mean..." Sora thought out loud, as Donald and Goofy shared his line of thought. "The Organization!"

"So, you're familiar with him?" Woody asked. "Because if you're going after him, we can't let you go alone." Woody asked.

"We all made a promise that one way or another, we would always be there for Andy. We can't just stand aside now." Buzz told Sora. "We may not be on the best terms yet, but we need to work together if we have any hope of finding our friends."

"Okay!" Sora decided, as he then asked where the Organization member could be at now, as Woody turned his attention towards the Army sergeant.

"Sarge, is there any word from the recon team?" Woody questioned.

"Our records point to him being holed down in the new Galaxy Toys establishment, sir!"

"Then that's where we're going," Woody decided as the company began their trek to the toy store, and the start of solving the mystery of the mysterious disappearances. Woody then looked over at Buster, scratching the top of the dog's head assuredly to comfort the pet. "Don't worry, Buster. We'll be back before too long, and we promise we won't come back empty-handed. Keep an eye on Mom for us, okay?"

"Now, to the Toy Store, and beyond!" Donald cheerfully quacked, as Buzz stared at the duck toy in confusion.

"That's what I was going to say," Buzz deadpanned.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	14. Let's Do the Time Warp Again

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

For this new update, I just wanted to show off a new side of the story, showing what Riku and Mickey were up to while searching for Aqua and Terra as Sora was on his own adventure. A couple of worlds that appeared in Birth by Sleep will return here and feature some new stories as a result. I truly hope you enjoy this new chapter, everybody!

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 14: Let's do the Time Warp Again

As Sora and his friends were assisting Woody and Buzz in getting to Galaxy Toys, another story was unfolding for Riku and King Mickey, who were traveling around the worlds from Aqua's past adventure to see if they could find a way to bring them back. After they dropped off Kairi and Lea's new garments with Merlin, the duo arrived at their first potential lead: the Castle of Dreams, where Cinderella calls her home.

"Gosh, so this is Cinderella's world," Mickey remarked as the two took in the sights of the castle exterior and the forest path lying beyond it.

"Everything looks so peaceful here, but we don't time to sight-see," Riku added, as he started to head down the dirt path through the forestry. "Maybe we'll find something regarding Aqua over at Cinderella's house."

"But Riku, wouldn't the castle technically be Cinderella's house?" Mickey asked. "What with her being a princess and all?"

"You have a point, your Majesty, but Yen Sid told us that Aqua mentioned long ago that Cinderella used to live in a chateau past the woods."

"Okay then, Riku," Mickey answered. "Lead the way, pal."

Unbeknownst to the duo, Cinderella's wicked stepsister Anastasia (who was previously thought to be killed by an Unversed called the Cursed Carriage) was wandering back to the chateau carrying the wand of the Fairy Godmother, after having snatched it from the old woman without her knowing.

"To think, it was magic that helped Cinderella get her happy ever after... I wonder what exactly that wand does though," she pondered out loud to herself before absentmindedly waving the wand at a mushroom. "Now what were those words again? Allykazoo? Flippity-graut? Or maybe, Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo?" With a flash of light, Anastasia was shocked to find that the mushroom turned into a pile of jewels.

"You should know that magic is not a toy, child," a voice called from the shadows, stepping forward to reveal himself as Young Master Xehanort. "However, I must commend you for your bout of curiosity leading me to this power."

"Wh-who are you, mister?" Anastasia questioned in shock, feeling a shiver run down her spine by the newcomer's presence.

"In time, you may learn to call me a friend," Xehanort replied, as he took the wand from Anastasia's grasp and carefully observed it. "So, this belongs to a Fairy Godmother, who helped a girl strong of heart to fufill her dreams. Interesting..."

"Ah, so that's where it went," the Fairy Godmother remarked. "I apologize for being so bold, my dear, but I must have that wand back immediately."

"No! I need this wand, more than you know," Anastasia rebuked.

"Oh, I am aware, but using this wand will be going at things for all the wrong reasons. I implore you, give the wand back." the Fairy Godmother said as calmly but firmly as she could.

"I've heard enough of this," Xehanort proclaimed as he summoned forth Heartless in the woods to surround the Fairy Godmother and aimed the wand at its former master. "To stone with you, old crone! Let my will be done; Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!" And in a puff of smoke, the poor fairy was left petrified in place as Xehanort and Anastasia transported away back to the house, moments before Riku and Mickey ended up in the part of the woods where their enemy previously stood.

"Heartless!" Riku shouted, as he summoned forth his new Keyblade. "Now, face my Braveheart, little pests! Your Majesty, cover me!"

"You've got it!" Mickey responded, as the two took down a group of Crescendos and Neoshadow Heartless before looking upon the now lifeless form of the good-hearted fairy.

"Poor Godmother, I can't feel or hear any sign of life from her or her heart," Mickey told Riku sadly as the two of them figured quickly that the Organization may have had a hand in this occurance.

"Quick, before anything else can go wrong!" Riku told his friend as they ran as fast as they could to the chateau, where Xehanort and Anastasia stood in front of the main door.

"Now tell me, child, what is it that you desire?" Xehanort asked the stepsister.

"Well, I want what Cinderella has, a chance at true love and happiness," she replied as Xehanort raised the wand in the air at nothing in particular and began to recite an incantation. At that moment, Mickey and Riku rushed in to stop the vessel from causing havoc.

"Hey, whatever you think he'll offer you, you can't trust him!" Riku shouted before he and Mickey were picked up into the air by Xehanort and slowly felt like they were shrinking in size.

"I won't have you meddle in my affairs here, now go scurry off like the rats you both truly are. Begone!" Xehanort seethed as he hurled the shrunken Keybearers into the chateau throw an open window, leaving them dazed upon impact with the floor. "Now then... to undo the princess's perfect life, forces of the universe bring her strife, hands of time, turn back the hour, through darkness grant me this absolute power! Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!" In a moment's instant, time itself seemed to freeze and reverse as images of Cinderella and the Prince's reality were being ripped apart, going back to the moment when the Castle's Grand Duke arrived at the house to search for fair maidens that could possibly fit the glass slipper that was left behind at the ball. As time resumed, Riku and Mickey finally came to, noticing a mouse dressed in a tiny red hat and vest lugging along a key that was twice his size in the living room they appeared to have landed in.

"Hey, are you alright?" Riku asked the mouse.

"Can't stop, gotsta hurry. Mean stepmother locked Cinderelly in her room; I got to help my friend, yes, zuk zuk." the mouse muttered out loud.

"How about if we help you?" Mickey asked, as he and Riku summoned their Keyblades.

"Ah, thank you," the mouse replied before turning around and noticing the newcomers and their Keyblades. "Oh, that's just like Ven's! Are you friends of Ven's?"

"Not exactly, but can you tell us how you know Ven?" Riku asked the mouse. "I'm Riku by the way, and this is my friend Mickey."

"Ven and Jaq is good friends- good, good friends. He helped fix Cinderelly's dress for the ball!" the mouse, apparently named Jaq, explained to the two heroes.

"Hold on, do you know where Ven might be now?" a stranger asked as she stepped forward next to Riku and Mickey to hear from Jaq.

"No, he went to look for friend- another friend," Jaq answered stoically, as Riku and Mickey noticed who the blue-haired Keyblade wielder next to them was.

"Aqua?" Mickey and Riku asked at the same time, as she turned her attention towards the duo.

"I'm sorry," Aqua said to the Keybearers. "Do I know you two?"

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. An interesting spot to end it at too, with Aqua apparently back in Cinderella's world, but how can this be? Well, you're going to have to stay tuned to the story to find out. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	15. Get in the Damn Robot, Sora

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 15: Get in the Damn Robot, Sora

After a long trek across the streets away from Andy's house, Sora and the other toys made it to the Galaxy Toys store.

"We made it!" Rex exclaimed, as everyone took in the sights of the entrance displays for the store.

"This is incredible!" Sora remarked as he looked around and saw a giant mecha toy. "Hey, why isn't that toy moving?"

"I guess it just hasn't figured out how to yet," Woody deduced.

"If you want to see it move that badly, then I can do it for you," the voice of Young Xehanort called out as he stepped out from a portal of darkness.

"The hooded stranger!" Buzz realized, springing into action.

"You're from the test, aren't you? The first of the Xehanorts?" Sora asked the young man.

"I'm honored that you still remember me," Young Xehanort answered, before he snapped his fingers and the Gigas toy sprung to life.

"Pull my drawstring, that toy _**can**_ move!" Woody exclaimed in shock.

"Now that is cool," Hamm gushed, until the Gigas raised its fist to do a ground pound. "Yeep! Now it's a lot less cool!"

"Look out!" Donald and Goofy cried out, as Sora and the two Castle defenders leapt forward to block the punch with their weapons while Woody pushed Hamm away, a Toy Trooper Heartless popping the cockpit open momentarily to taunt the heroes before lowering it again to maintain the attack.

"Now you can see how one's bonds bring the other to life. Like Heartless and Nobodies, they live through a symbiosis," Young Xehanort continued.

"Enough! Why are you doing all of this?!" Sora demanded.

"I'll tell you why; there is a darkness in this world that we must reclaim. To that end, we created a copy of this world and separated those toys from their precious friends. I wonder how long they can handle the strain without succumbing to it." Young Xehanort finished explaining as he left through a portal of darkness once again.

"Sora! How about you try using one of those mechs?" Goofy suggested, as they held off the attack as best they could. "If the Heartless can do it, there's no reason you can't!"

"Good idea! It's time now to fight mecha with mecha!" Sora replied as he jumped into a Gunner type of the robot and prepared to fire explosive plasma balls all over at the Gigas robots. The all-out attack was then enough to clear the field of enemies. The Toy Trooper from before then popped out from the Gigas and disappeared in a puff of smoke as the Gigas then toppled over and flopped to the floor lifelessly.

"That toy was being controlled?" Buzz pondered in concern.

"Buzz, are you all right?" Goofy asked.

"I-it's nothing," Buzz assured.

"Wait, I'm confused," Woody spoke up. "What was the guy in the black coat going on about, with there being a copy of the world?"

"If I had to guess," Sora began, "Then this world was split into one that's just like this one, but only one of them is real, and the other is just a really convincing replica."

"You can't be serious!" Buzz scoffed. "Oh, but I'm forgetting, you're from a video game. Maybe that's how things work in your fantasy world, but in real life, there's no such thing is mirror worlds. It just means that we've been at this toy store long enough. Right, Woody?"

"Well I admit, this does seem a bit far-fetched," Woody admitted. "But is it really any different than space rangers and evil emperors from outer space?" Buzz, then reminded of what he was like when he first met Woody and the others, softened his attitude.

"Point taken, but that just means these three are part of the illusion, and it's about time we part ways," Buzz told his friend.

"I thought we were friends, not strangers," Goofy said sadly, just before Sarge popped up to address Woody and Buzz.

"Sir, my mean have some bad news! Rex and the others have been toynapped! What's more, my corporal has disappeared as well!"

"Well, I guess we can't leave just yet," Woody decided.

"Please let us help!" Sora pleaded with the two toys. "We managed to get this far, after all."

"Sora's right," Goofy added. "Though Sora can be reckless, and Donald can be difficult to get along with, they're both still reliable."

"They suspect you too, you know!" Donald quacked.

"It's true," Sora added.

"Well, if you say so," Buzz told the heroes. "We'll just stick together for now until we get our friends back; then we're getting out of this place and back to Andy's. Deal?"

"It's a deal," Sora accepted, as they scanned the area finding a crank-operated capsule machine as an entryway, with colored railway paths leading to different parts of the store. "Now, let's get going."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Castle of Dreams, Riku and Mickey had reunited with Aqua as they met Jaq the mouse on his way to free Cinderella from her locked room.

"Aqua? How could you say you don't know us?" Mickey asked in shock.

"But I don't. Are you friends of Eraqus? He never spoke about either of you before," Aqua told the mouse.

"But we fought the Heartless together in the Realm of-" Mickey continued, before Riku pushed the king aside.

"Your Majesty, this may seem fishy, but I think this is like when me and Sora took the Mark of Mastery; it's back at the point a year before Cinderella was kidnapped, so it just seems like the world is putting Aqua back when she visited here, okay?" Riku whispered.

"Oh, I get it now," King Mickey replied as they went back over. "It's nice to meet you Aqua, my name's Mickey, Mickey Mouse."

"And I'm Riku. It's a pleasure to meet you." Riku added, shaking Aqua's hand.

"Guys? Some time today, zuk-zuk?" Jaq whined as he knew time was running out before the Duke was about to leave, so they had to hurry to free Cinderella.

Back downstairs however, the Grand Duke had arrived in the center room, where Anastasia and her sister and mother Drizella and Lady Tremaine, respectively, (both having been resurrected by the means of time being turned back) were waiting.

"Madame, the reason I am here today is by royal decree of-" the Duke began before Tremaine interrupted.

"With all due respect Your Grace, we are well aware of your purpose here, so we can do away with formalities and get on with it already," Tremaine remarked.

"Quite," the Duke replied flatly as he called for the first of the daughters to step forward for the fitting. Anastasia then sat down, before her face faltered and she remembered her oversized foot couldn't possibly fit. "Oh my," the Duke remarked in surprise as Drizella tried to supress a snort of laughter. He then struggled to fit the shoe on, until Tremaine waved the wand (Anastasia having informed her mother how the wand works when she got back to the point in time before the Duke's arrival, not knowing Xehanort had left her sight unseen).

"Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo," she whispered as her foot's size shrunk to fit the glass slipper just right.

"It fits," the Duke gasped in surprise, as Anastasia then whooped and shouted in joy at her newfound luck, even dancing with the family cat Lucifer, until her mother caught her in her tracks.

"Remember, my dear, grace and poise," Tremaine remarked.

"Yes, mother," Anastasia groaned as Lucifer grumpily was left sitting on the girl's face.

"Well then, I hereby declare we have found the Prince's- eh, bride-to-be," the Duke stammered partly in confusion. "We should return to the Palace at once."

"Of course! Lead the way!" Anastasia replied as she followed after with the dignity she could muster, Drizella and Tremaine not far behind.

"No! Please, Your Grace, wait!" Cinderella called out from the top of the staircase, with Riku and the others racing after her.

"My apologies, Your Grace, my house maid seems to have forgotten her place. Go on ahead while I have a word with her," Tremaine told the Duke, as he and the sisters went ahead to the carriage.

"How could the slipper have fit Anastasia?" Cinderella asked, as the two were alone. "I was the one who danced with the Prince. I even have the other slipper to prove it!"

"You may have danced with him, but the truth of the matter is the slipper fits Anastasia, and she is who the prince will marry. Whatever you thought happened last night is but a dream." Tremaine remarked as she caught the slipper with her cane and dangled it over the staircase, before letting it drop all the way down to the floor. At that moment as Riku, Aqua, Mickey and Jaq arrived by Cinderella's side, they could see a dark aura surrounding Tremaine. "Now, I have business to attend to; clean up this mess until I return."

"You won't get away with this," Cinderella grimaced.

"But I have," Lady Tremaine replied. "I don't care where you go or what you do, but I forbid you from going anywhere close to the palace and the Prince." After Tremaine left, Riku climbed up next to Cinderella, who scooped him, Aqua and the others up in her hands.

"There's something that's not right about her," Riku told Cinderella. "Somehow, she must've gotten your Godmother's wand and made the slipper fit your sister instead!"

"My Fairy Godmother's wand? How do you know about her?" Cinderella asked.

"They're friends of Ven!" Jaq answered. "Names are Riku, Mickey and Aqua!"

"Well, it's nice to meet the three of you," Cinderella addressed the three. "But you're right, if she has the wand, we need to get it back. Somehow, we need to sneak into the palace before the wedding can happen."

"Ha-ha, now we're talkin'!" Mickey said cheerfully.

"Well, it looks like things aren't finished here yet," Aqua murmured to herself as Cinderella set out with the friends in tow. "Terra, Ven, I hope you can wait a little longer for us to come together again."

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	16. Saving Rex and Cinderelly's Break-In

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 16: Saving Rex and Cinderelly's Break-In

Using the rail system from the capsule machine, Sora and the gang grinded their way to the second level of the store, finding the entrance to the action figure section open. Woody could've sworn as they entered that he saw a dinosaur's swishing tail enter a tight corner, so the cowboy went to investigate.

"I was sure Rex went back there," Woody pondered, as everybody observed the stand of kaiju figures, noticing ornate power bulbs pulsing with electricity behind the display.

"There's something about this that feels wrong," Buzz remarked, before a red dinosaur-like beast marked with a Heartless insignia smashed away the boxes and gave a vicious roar.

"Let's get out of here!" Donald yelped in panic, rushing to leave only for the gate to slam shut and lock them in. Buzz looked at the toy in concern, knowing that it wasn't attacking by its own free will, but then assumed a battle stance.

"Buzz, are you sure about this?" Sora asked.

"If it wanted to play nice, then it shouldn't have threatened my friends," Buzz replied as the group prepared for a tough fight. Trying to attack the toy head on was practically a death sentence, as they found how hard its claw swipes could hit. To remedy this, Sora kept his distance and shot fire and water spells at the kaiju creatures, dodging its laser attacks until they were left facing another one of the enemies, with Woody calling Sora over.

"Sora, I found something that can help us!" Woody called out as Sora saw a firecracker rocket lying behind the spot Woody noticed before.

"Why would somebody leave one of these rockets here? I guess it's a good thing we haven't seen any kids around here, because somebody could get hurt by one of these."

"You mean no kids apart from you, right, Sora?" Donald asked.

"Donald, with all respect, please shut up," Sora groaned, as Woody and Buzz climbed on and Sora lit the fuse as they launched the rocket directly at the giant figure, knocking it down and purging it of the Heartless that possessed it. However, another figure had snuck up behind them to attack, as everyone looked up to see Rex clinging to dear life on an insectoid display figure.

"Rex! What are you doing way up there?" Buzz shouted to the dinosaur to get his attention.

"I honestly c-can't rememberrrrrrr!" Rex cried, as the figure broke free from the wall hook and was sent flying at the monster, knocking the Heartless out of it, as Sora then took it out as soon as he could.

"Those were some nice moves, Rex," Woody assured his friend.

"Really? Would you say I was impressive? I mean, it's all the grip, actually..." Rex said as he started to ramble on until Woody got him to pay attention again.

"Rex, did you see where the others were taken?" Sora asked.

"Taken? Did something bad happen?" Rex replied in confusion, as Woody and Buzz sighed in disappointment that Rex was completely unaware of what happened to the others. Woody then turned his attention towards Sarge as he climbed down through the air vents to deliver some news.

"Sarge? Any status on the others?" Woody spoke to the Army man.

"Sir, my troops have spotted Hamm in the Babies and Toddlers toy section. The corporal went to debrief him, but something must've gotten to him, as we lost all radio contact. But there is one piece of recon the rest of my men have gleaned from that area: just before Corporal's signal cut, some kind of music with a sonic interference began playing."

"Music? Wonder what could've caused it?" Buzz pondered.

"There's only one way to find out," Sora recommended as the others went to climb through the air vents and make their way to the other side of the store.

"Listen, Rex," Buzz told Rex before they left. "I have an important job for you to do by the entrance, and that's to be the lookout to see if anybody we know comes in or out of the store. Can you do that for us?"

"Yes, sir!" Rex answered assuringly.

"Then we'll see you soon, soldier," Buzz told his dinosaur pal as the heroes continued their exploration.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Castle of Dreams, Cinderella and the others had finally reached the Prince's castle, finding the front entryway was bogged down by heavy security.

"Well, we can't get through that way, it seems," Cinderella realized as the others thought over where else they could get in.

"Look at those maids entering through the back way," Aqua pointed out to Cinderella, as she got an idea.

"You four go on ahead, I'll meet you inside the castle," Cinderella told them as the heroes snuck through a mouse hole-sized crack in the mortar foundation of the castle. After they left, Cinderella stepped forward to the end of the row until she came face to face with the Chief of Staff.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, you see, I'm here to assist with the marriage preparations," Cinderella explained. "I'm the royal mouse catcher."

"Royal mouse catcher?" the woman asked. "I don't remember ever seeing you before."

"Well, I was just recently hired, ma'am. Now I'm sure that His Majesty wouldn't want his son's wedding to be ruined by a vermin infestation, correct?"

"I assure you in all my years of service, there has never been a single, solitary-" the woman replied before she was interrupted by a cry of "MOUSE!" coming from the kitchen, where Jaq, Mickey, Riku and Aqua were attempting to spook the cooks in the kitchen, until the chief grabbed a broom and began swatting at them. To make matters worse, small Heartless and blue creatures that were unfamiliar to Riku appeared and pounced at the heroes.

"Unversed!" Aqua and Mickey both realized as they fought off the group of enemies.

"Perhaps I could help," Cinderella offered.

"This is my kitchen branch; I'll do it myself!" the chief declared as she smashed the broom into anything and everything in her path.

"She's crazy! Duck, your Majesty!" Riku shouted, weaving through the woman's attacks, as Mickey followed Riku's lead. Eventually, they made their escape, but not without Jaq pushing a cooking pot over the woman's head.

"If you don't mind, I'll just get those mice snatched up," Cinderella told the chief maid as she began to make her leave.

"Go on ahead," she deleriously told Cinderella as she gestured for the girl to go on ahead. After the group made their up to the second level of the castle, they regrouped with Cinderella.

"So far, so good," Aqua remarked to Cinderella. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, I think we'll find him best if we split up," Cinderella told the others as she took the West Wing path and Riku and friends took the East Wing path. Following some lengthy walking around the vast mouse hole paths in the castle, the group popped out of a hanging chandelier to see as Lady Tremaine and the others were meeting with the Prince. The view wasn't the best, but they could hear the conversation between Anastasia and Prince Charming play out.

"...The royal decree dictates that whoever fit the slipper shall be your bride," Tremaine clarified to the Prince.

"Yes, madam, I am aware, but it seems to me that perhaps more than one girl fits the slipper. I apologize for this misunderstanding, I really do, perhaps I can clear away for the Grand Duke to return you home safely?" the Prince told Lady Tremaine.

"Yes!" Jaq cheered. "Knew that Prince wouldn't forget about Cinderelly!"

"Wait," Aqua told Jaq as she peered over the chandelier's edge and saw Lady Tremaine pull out the Godmother's wand without anyone else looking, as Aqua gestured over to Riku to watch the scene unfold. "This doesn't look too good."

The Prince then stopped short of opening the door back to his Father's chambers to break the news when he turned back around, his eyes glazed over in a trance-like state.

"Hold the trumpet, now I remember. It was you! You were the one I danced with that night. This may be sudden, but will you marry me?" he asked to watch Anastasia happily replied "Yes!".

"I-I mean, yes, Your Highness," she corrected herself as she regained her composure.

"Then it's settled," Lady Tremaine told the Prince. "The wedding shall be held at sundown, if I may be so bold to request it?"

"The sooner the better," the Prince told the stepmother as Riku and the others were already scurrying up the chandelier in a panic.

"This isn't good at all," Mickey said as they looked for the fastest way to reconvene with Cinderella. "Cinderella's gotta know that the stepmother was behind this with the help of the Heartless!"

"I know," Riku replied as he then thought to himself in frustration " _Xehanort, just what are you trying to do?_ "

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	17. Riku vs Lucifer

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 17: Riku vs. Lucifer

Meanwhile in another part of the castle later on, Cinderella passed by a corridor, looking to see where the Prince could possibly be, when she heard the voices of her stepmother and two sisters getting closer as she quickly hid behind a statue in the hallway. After their steps faded out of hearing range, Cinderella began to approach the door only to duck back behind into hiding as she saw Lucifer the cat leave the room, stopping in suspicion before he slowly started to approach Cinderella's hiding spot.

"Lucifer, come here at once," Lady Tremaine called out as the cat stopped in its tracks and then scampered off to join the stepmother. Breathing a sigh of relief, Cinderella was ready to check her stepfamily's quarters when the Prince walked by her into the balcony hall. Happy to finally see her beloved, she followed after to speak with him.

"Your Highness," Cinderella addressed the prince cordially. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Ah, not to be rude, but have we met before?" the Prince asked.

"Oh, we danced last night, remember?" Cinderella replied. "You were wonderful." Taken in the moment, Cinderella ended up dropping the net for mice catching to the ground.

"Well, I can't take all the credit," the Prince modestly answered as he knelt down to pick the net up, right as Cinderella did the same thing, with their hands making contact with other. "It was the girl I danced with that made it memorable..." The two then looked into each other's eyes, a spark of familiarity with Cinderella shining through for the Prince, only for it to fade away from Tremaine's spell shortly after. "In fact, I'm going to marry her tonight."

"Tonight?" Cinderella asked, hoping that she got through to him.

"Yes, once you dance with somebody like Anastasia, you don't want to waste any time," the Prince explained as Cinderella's confidence faltered. The Prince, noticing Cinderella's discomfort, then spoke again. "Well, I'm sorry to hold you up from your work. I guess I should go prepare for the ceremony."

"Yes, I suppose," Cinderella solemnly replied as she left the balcony to go meet back up with Jaq and the others. As she went down to the cellar to reflect, Jaq, Riku and the others scurried in.

"Cinderella! We saw the Prince!" Mickey told the Princess of Heart.

"So did I, Mickey, but... he's obviously not the same person I remember," Cinderella answered sadly.

"No, it was the Stepmother! She used your Fairy Godmother's wand again to change his memory!" Aqua told her.

"So she really does have it; this explains things," Cinderella pondered out loud. "Guys, we need to get that wand back, now more than ever."

* * *

Time had passed with Cinderella and the others laying low to avoid running directly into the Stepmother, as the group headed over to Tremaine's chambers, with Cinderella peering through a keyhole to see Drizella using the wand to create an overtly fantastical dress for herself.

"Drizella!" Lady Tremaine chastised. "This wand is more important to us than your trifling games. If it breaks, then all our efforts will have been pointless." Tremaine then proceeded to stick the wand in a dresser drawer and lock it with a key she stuck in her dress pocket.

"Well then, here goes nothing," Cinderella whispered to herself as she was ready to enter the room.

"Wait!" Aqua warned. "If you go in no without a real plan, she'll think something's up. Let us get the key for you."

"But Aqua, won't that key of yours get drawer unlocked for us?" Jaq asked.

"I don't think it'll work that way," Riku told the mouse. "But we'll need to make a distraction once we're in there." In the distance, Anastasia could be heard reciting her marriage vows. "Anastasia's coming. We'll handle the key, you'd better go and hide, Cinderella." As Cinderella hid behind a drapery, Riku and the others squeezed under the undercrack of the door, getting through before Anastasia entered the room.

"Oh, mother, I just had a nice conversation with the King. He didn't mind too much about that ballroom fiasco..." Anastasia started telling her mother and sister as Riku, Jaq, Mickey and Aqua snuck through the room, fighting small Heartless and Unversed that crossed their path on occasion. "...and he even gave me his most prized possession!" Anastasia remarked as she showed Tremaine a conical white seashell.

"How quaint," Tremaine remarked dryly, as she could really care less about the shell.

"How special," Drizella said to her sister sarcastically.

"Don't you see? He said it's a symbol of true love. He kept it since the day he met the Queen at the beach when they were young-" Anastasia continued as Riku and Aqua listened in from their level.

"The King sounds a little more humble than I'd take him for," Riku whispered until the group came to a stop noticing Lucifer sitting in front of the fireplace and tried to sneak past. They were momentarily stuck when Lucifer rolled over on them, until Riku and Jaq lifted his tail off of them. Unfortunately, his tail was placed on top of the coals of the fireplace, causing the cat to yelp in pain and scramble through the room. Riku and the others took this opportunity to grab the key and skitter away under a dropped teacup towards the door to give it to their friend. Once the cat was finally calmed down, the room was left in a chaotic state. Before the sisters could call out for a maid, a knock at the door was heard as Tremaine opened it to see a maid at the ready.

"You certainly arrive quickly," Tremaine remarked.

"Ah, we take a lot of pride in our work," Cinderella answered, disguising her voice as the bonnet on her head hid her face as best as it could. She then gave an aside glance to Jaq and the others while Tremaine had her back turned.

"Clean up this mess quickly, my daughter needs her beauty sleep for tonight," Tremaine instructed, as the heroes managed to unlock the drawer and reclaim the wand, but only to see things start to unravel quickly. "You understand, don't you, Cinderella?" Tremaine said as she pulled the bonnet away revealing the princess's face.

"I didn't know you worked here!" Anastasia remarked absentmindedly, earning a glare from Drizella.

"Where do you get the gall to go behind my back, dear, and blatantly seek out the prince when I told you not to?" Tremaine glowered angrily.

"You haven't won yet, mother," Cinderella told the old woman.

"As long as we have the wand, my dear, you are powerl-" the stepmother continued, only to see Riku and the others make off with the wand. "Vermin!" The heroes then ran off as quick as they could, leaving as Cinderella closed the door before Lucifer could get to them. However, Tremaine called out to the guards to pursue Cinderella, as Lucifer chased after the others. "That servant girl is a thief; stop her!"

"Cinderella, keep running!" Mickey cried out to Cinderella as she went out ahead and the others stopped to confront Lucifer the cat. "We'll take care of this overgrown tabby!" {*Play Desire for All that is Lost (KH3 version)*}

Riku and Aqua both teamed up to use some skillful finesse as they parried the cat's claw swipes and dodged its lunging jumps to knock it dizzy, however, because of their size, the battle took longer to complete than it would at their normal size. Soon enough, the cat was sent running away and the group sighed in relief.

"Yep, look at that mean 'ol kitty run!" Jaq said as he twirled the wand around.

"Jaq, quick! Make us normal size again!" Riku told the mouse.

"Okay, sorry," Jaq apologized as he shakily aimed the wand at the heroes. "Ah, Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo." With a spark of magic, the heroes were put back to normal as Jaq climbed up on Riku's shoulder and they began to go after Cinderella again.

"Not so fast, boy, your meddling here is at an end," Lady Tremaine remarked from behind the Keyblade wielder as she grabbed Riku by the wrist, waiting for some of the remaining guardsmen to arrive. "Throw these intruders into the dungeon; they have conspired with the thief to deceive his Highness and spirit him away."

"Yes, madam, it shall be done at once," they replied as the lead soldier escorted Riku and Mickey away, with Aqua being led behind.

"If you do anything to hurt Cinderella, I'll make you regret it!" Riku shouted, as Anastasia saw the two heroes that previously tried to warn her against trusting the hooded man being led to the dungeons below, and began to feel guilty.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	18. Unexpected Reunion and Prince's Rescue

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 18: An Unexpected Reunion & Prince to the Rescue

In the castle dungeons, Riku, Mickey and Aqua sat silently against the walls, wrecked with feelings of paranoia over what was to become of not only themselves, but Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother and Jaq as well. Speaking of, by the time the trio was thrown behind bars, Jaq had already disappeared.

"I can't believe it's come to this," Mickey lamented as Riku tried to summon the Keyblade, but some bizarre reason, the dungeon seemed to have an enchantment placed on it to prevent the heroes from summoning their blades and be able to free themselves. "At last Jaq got out of things okay."

"Yeah," Aqua replied. If there's anyone who won't give up on her and her happiness, it's him."

"Enjoying your accommodations?" the voice of Young Xehanort remarked as he appeared outside the jail bars.

"Why are you doing all of this? Just what does Cinderella mean to you anyway?" Riku demanded.

"Oh, I'm certain you already known the answer to that. When Sora opened the Final Keyhole for Ansem, the princesses, save for one, lost their power. Now, if Cinderella's hopes are to be broken, perhaps the darkness of despair in her heart will make her a suitable vessel..."

"Like we're ever going to let that happen; we'll stop you!" Mickey told the Nort.

"And how do you plan to do that from in this cell? You'd need a miracle to help you escape. Now, I'll just leave you two and your phantom friend to rot here. Farewell, pitiful master," Xehanort taunted as he disappeared into the shadows, leaving the others to their thoughts.

"Aqua," Riku spoke up as he turned towards the Keyblade master, "About why we're here..."

"You don't need to go on, Riku. I already knew I'm not the real Aqua," she answered. "But if we find a way out of this, I'm sure that the real me will remember this adventure, deep in her heart." After saying this, the group heard a clanging and thumping noise coming from down the stairs, before they saw Jaq squeeze through the bars and climb up into Riku's hands, panting in exhaustion.

"Ah, whew, Riku... I'm glad you're still okay," the mouse told his new friend.

"Jaq, what happened to Cinderella?" the Key wielder asked.

"Evil stepmother banished her, and Cinderelly's gonna be sent off to sea far away!"

"We gotta save her then!" Mickey piped up.

"Already ahead of you, zuk-zuk!" Jaq continued, before he darted into Riku's pocket and the Prince came in front of their cell with the key.

"You're friends of Cinderelly, right?" he asked.

"Cinderella," Aqua corrected. "And yes. What are you doing here?"

"Would you believe me if I told you a talking mouse sent me?" the Prince replied. "Anyway, we need to work together if we're going to stop Cinderella from being exiled."

"Son! Where have you gone off to?" the King was heard shouting from upstairs.

"What's he going on about?" Riku asked the Prince.

"Let's just say when I broke the news, he was less than pleased. We don't have a lot of time, we have to go!" he answered as he unlocked the cell and escorted the three out of the dungeon and over to the castle entrance, where Riku and his friends could finally resummon their Keyblades.

"Son!" the King called out as he saw his son climb onto his horse.

"Your Majesty," the Grand Duke wheezed as he managed to catch up to the sprinting regal. "Mind your blood pressure!"

"What's the matter, Dad? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you! It's the talking mouse I have trouble believing," he replied as he took notice of King Mickey. "You there, are you the one who talked with my son? Just what exactly have you been telling him?"

"Uh, squeak?" Mickey answered, trying to feign ignorance on the matter.

"Enough of this nonsense, my boy," the King remarked. "The wedding awaits for tonight!"

"Run!" Aqua shouted, as everyone except the King and Duke made a mad dash for the gate.

"Quickly, shut the gates!" the King ordered, which only made the group run faster to bypass it, making it through before it shut. As he walked towards the gate, his expression softened.

"Your Majesty, should I send out the calvary to bring him back?" the Duke asked.

"No," the King remarked calmly. "Just let him go."

"But sire! Just why are you letting him leave?"

"It's a sign of love, you see," the King answered the Duke, as Lady Tremaine watched the escape unfold from afar.

* * *

Back at Galaxy Toys, Sora and the rest of the toys had made their way through the air vents and entered the section for Babies and Toddlers toys.

"Say, Sarge, you said one of your men noticed a set of toys that made music, right?" Goofy asked.

"Affirmative, private Goofy!" Sarge answered.

"No problem, we just need to find toys that make music," Sora decided.

"Y'know, Buzz, I think these guys really can help us out," Woody told his fellow toy.

"Well, you wouldn't have trusted them otherwise. And I know that your trust is a hard-earned reward." Buzz replied. "Anyway, I'm willing to let them stick around for a little while longer, if it means getting Andy and our friends back."

"Agreed, Buzz," Woody said with a smile as the group set out. "Sora, check out that display over there. It looks like a musical band set." Woody pointed out to Sora.

"Yeah, maybe our army man is over there!" Sora answered. The group proceeded to walk over to the display, fighting through a new set of Heartless-possessed toys, specifically stuffed animals and rubber bouncing toys until they finally made it over.

"Musical Toads, huh?" Donald observed, while the others climbed up and observed the band figures. "How do these even turn on?"

"Is this it?" Sora asked as he approached a nearby record player, and started running along the surface of the record to get it to spin. Slowly, the band began to cue up, and play a bombastic song. Even so, it wasn't playing at its full capacity just yet.

"C'mon, Sora, you've used a record player that way before? Let me lend a hand," Woody asked as he joined in running along the record surface. "Look! It's already working!" True enough, the band was now playing at full force, but with one noticeable off-key member.

"Did that sound a bit off to you?" Buzz asked Donald and Goofy.

"Sora, one of those sounds a little funny. We oughta investigate!" Goofy called out.

"Okay, Woody, keep it going. There's something I need to check." Sora told Woody as he dug his hand deep into a tuba being played by a toy frog. "Almost got it," Sora mumbled as he loosened up whatever was in there and pulled out one of the Army men.

"Corporal!" Sarge called out as he rushed to his companion's aid. "You're a brave one, for holding out this long."

"So, you said you saw Hamm?" Goofy asked.

"Y-yes, but as I radioed in, a giant hand grabbed me and stuffed me in there," the soldier replied, pointing back to the tuba-playing frog, before tearing up. "Forgive me, Sarge, I was a fool to get captured... court-marshal me if you have to!"

"At ease, private. You did your duty, that's all anyone can ask for," Sarge answered to ease the soldier's nerves, turning his attention towards Sora, Donald and Goofy. "Our newest recruits will take over from hereon out, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir, crystal clear, sir!" the three replied with a salute.

"Good! I'm off to take this soldier to safer ground and regroup with the others. Godspeed, gentlemen." The Army men then started to make their leave as Woody was watching from his spot running on the record player.

"Hey! Whuh- what's going on over there?" Woody shouted.

"Woody, you can stop now! The rescue mission for that soldier is complete," Buzz told his friend, as Woody slowed down and then plopped onto the floor in exhaustion.

"Cure!" Donald cried out as he ran over and cast a healing aura around Woody.

"Whew, thanks for that, Donald. Now let's get back to finding Hamm," Woody told the duck gratefully as the heroes' search continued.

* * *

Back in Cinderella's world, the group raced over to the docks, only to find the ship had already set off.

"We're too late," Riku responded, starting to lose hope for the princess. The Prince however saw a building in the distance that they could jump off of onto the ship.

"Not yet, we aren't!" the Prince spoke as the heroes rode off on the Prince's horse while Aqua used her Keyblade armor to ride after at fast speed, eventually getting to an open balcony window that the horse ground to a halt at, sending everybody else flying in the air.

"This is crazy!" Riku shouted, flailing in the air, trying to keep altitude, until they landed on the ship's sail, using a dagger to break their falling speed and land on the deck safely. Once everybody in the group was on board, the Prince and Cinderella met eye to eye and shared an embrace.

"It is you! Somehow I knew it all along!" the Prince told Cinderella. "Now, there's one thing I want to ask you: will you marry me?"

"Of course," Cinderella replied with a smile as they two resumed their hug in each other's arms, as Riku and the others watched the scene unfold.

"I'm happy that things managed to work out," Riku told Mickey as the Prince and Cinderella both directed the ship back to shore and began their return to the castle along with the others.

* * *

Meanwhile once more at Galaxy Toys, Sora and the others found a lone dollhouse sitting on a windowsill across from the Musical Toads set. When they reached it, they found that it stuck shut.

"Together on three, we pull it open!" Buzz suggested as the five of them each got on a side and held on. "Now, one... two... pull!" The group yanked at the edges hard until it flew open, and knocked the team back, as Hamm sauntered out with two other toys: a felt and leather floppy horse and a cowgirl wearing a black and white spotted vest and a red hat.

"Bullseye, Jessie? Is that really you?" Buzz and Woody both asked.

"Woody! Buzz! Thank goodness you've come! I was starting to relive some mighty bad memories stuck in there." Jessie the cowgirl replied as she walked over to the two toys.

"Are you three alright?" Sora asked.

"Well, despite it being cramped, the accommodations were excellent," Hamm stated as Bullseye galloped close and Sora a friendly lick hello.

"You're welcome, you cute little horse," Sora told Bullseye as he nuzzled the horse's yarn mane. "There was nothing to it with my friends helpin- wait... Goofy, where's Donald?" Sora asked Goofy when the group heard a loud frightened quack as Donald raced out of the house and hid behind Sora.

"Donald, what happened?" Goofy asked.

"There's a huge giant outside the house!" the duck yelped as a doll twice the size of the other toys floated above them, with a Heartless emblem on the bunny ears that stuck on top of its head.

" _ **Yippee, more friends to play with!**_ " it squealed in a sickeningly sweet but threatening voice.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	19. The Mystic Portal Awaits

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 19: The Mystic Portal Awaits

"Just what are you?" Sora called out to the doll, frustrated with the prospect of dealing with another giant Heartless threat.

" _ **Everybody knows me; I'm an Angelic Amber!**_ " the doll greeted the group with a smile. " _ **My house has a lot of neat stuff, but it's been so lonely lately. But some nice man came by a little while ago and woke me up, and he said he'd bring me a whole lotta new friends to play with! And now we'll have all the time in the world to spend together,**_ " she laughed as she continued to explain, all the while giving everybody else the creeps with how disturbingly serene she was with kidnapping other toys forcibly to play with her.

"Well, it's been nice to meet you, Amber, but I think we all better get going, right, Buzz?" Woody asked his friend as they were ready to make a run for it.

" _ **You big party poopers! You can't leave before our tea party!**_ " she seethed as her eyes narrowed into angry slits and body appeared to slither up in front of Sora's face.

"This could get bad... Hamm, Jessie, Bullseye! You need to get out of here quick!" Woody told the three rescued toys.

"No! Hamm, you can leave if you want, me and Bullseye are gonna lend a hand against this demon doll," Jessie told Hamm, who was fidgeting in a panic.

"Right on it. One stay at the dread and breakfast was enough for me!" Hamm yelped as he ran off. Sora and the others began their battle as they dodged the doll's jerky swerving and body-slamming as the Keyblade wielder then counterattacked with hard swings and blasts of magic. The doll was very persistent, but eventually it went down.

" _ **I'm sorry, please don't hurt me anymore. I don't wanna go! All I wanted was a friend of my own!**_ " Angelic Amber begged and sobbed, as Sora raised his Keyblade above his head, ready to force the Heartless inside the doll out (even knowing that doing so would cause it to no longer be alive).

"I get it, I really do," Sora sympathetically told the toy before his expression turned solemn. "But that doesn't mean you can just kidnap people against their will! You're just being used to separate those people from their loved ones!" Without another word, Sora swung the Keyblade down and knocked the Heartless out of the doll, causing the monster to dissolve in a shadowy mist as the doll slumped onto the floor lifelessly. Once again, Buzz looked at the doll's sorry state and turned towards Woody.

"She was being controlled too," Buzz observed. "What if this is what happens if we stay here any longer? We'll start attacking each other?"

"Buzz, you can't think like that!" Jessie told the space ranger.

"Yeah, you're stronger than that, Buzz!" Sora added with concern. "As long as you don't lose heart, you'll be fine."

"And besides, I for one know you'll never be one to give up on a friend," Woody spoke up, putting Buzz's mind at ease.

"True enough, cowboy," Buzz replied.

"There's one thing I don't follow about all of this," Jessie interrupted, as she asked Sora a question. "Just what is going on here? When Bullseye and I were grabbed, a guy in a black hood told us that we were just here to be bait for a kid with a key while the others were back in the real world."

"Well, long story short, this place is a replica of your own world, or so we've been told," Sora answered.

"Well, thanks for clearing things up, Sora. I'm sure we'll get along just fine," Jessie told the boy.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all. There's just one more group of toys we need to rescue." Everyone else nodded in agreement as they opened the window out of the store and took notice of a flying saucer puttering about in the air.

"I think I know who that is going after," Woody remarked. "Quick, everyone! After that UFO!" After climbing out the window, the group chased after the flying saucer down to the "Play Place" store. In the middle of a play mat, the heroes saw the Little Green Aliens looking up towards the saucer.

"The Claw has come for us!" one of the aliens exclaimed.

"The Mystic portal awaits!" another added as the saucer's crane lowered down.

"Wait! Stop!" Sora and Woody cried out as they ran forward hoping to stop it, everyone else following from behind.

"Farewell, friends. We go on to a better place," the aliens spoke as the crane snagged the three toys and Heartless began appearing from all corners of the store.

"Well, now what do we do?" Donald and Goofy asked, as they assumed a battle stance.

"We gotta shoot that thing out of the sky, that's what!" Jessie told Sora's partners.

"I think the thing we need for that is right close by," Sora assured, as the group focused on taking down a Gigas that was starting to fire at them. After its health was worn down and the Heartless that was piloting it was forcibly ejected, Sora boarded the robot and began to open fire on the UFO as it zipped and sped around the store, trying to fry the others with bolts of lightning. Eventually, the ship took as much damage as it could handle and crashed into the ground, releasing the aliens from its grip, along with one other toy- a squeaky penguin.

"We are back!" the three aliens said in unison.

"The spiky haired one saved our lives! Many thanks to him and his partners," the first one declared.

"But at what cost? Our ship is no more," the second mentioned.

"Nirvana will not be reached today," the third added sadly.

"Didn't think about it that way," Sora replied sheepishly. "Sorry about trashing your ride."

"Don't be," Buzz assured Sora. "They're usually like this most of the time."

"Do not distress, our mighty hero. For we have an even greater home, our new home: the chamber of Andy."

"Wheezy, never thought you were stuck in there," Woody spoke up as he helped the penguin up on its feet.

"Thank you, Woody," Wheezy replied with a smile, getting a cough out of his system. "That thing's insides were aggravating my condition again."

"Hey, do you know if anybody else from Andy's room that disappeared is around?" Sora asked Wheezy.

"Sorry, Sora, but as far as me and Bullseye are concerned, us two were the only ones who were left behind here until we just saved Wheezy. We haven't seen hide or hair of any of the other toys," Jessie told the Keyblade wielder.

"Anyway, the aliens are right," Buzz told the others. "We don't belong in this store; we should be heading back home to Andy's. We already accomplished more than what we expected to when we arrived."

"But Buzz, the guy in the hood said that room isn't even the real one!" Sora rebuked. "We're so close to fixing everything!"

"Can you prove that anything he told us is even remotely true?" Buzz argued, leaving Sora silent. "And even if it's a fake room, that doesn't mean that Andy himself isn't somewhere in this world still. It doesn't matter one way or another, my mind is made up. I'm going home to wait for Andy."

"You have me there, Buzz. Now that everyone is accounted for, we should get ready to go back home," Woody replied.

"Okay..." Sora said with disappointment. "We could've used friends like you for the final showdown though."

"But Sora, Organization XIII is our problem to solve," Goofy whispered.

"Ah, we'll be fine," Donald said smugly. "I could take them down with one wing behind my back!"

"You sure about that?" Sora joked, stifling a giggle.

"I'll show ya!" Donald squawked angrily, chasing Sora with his stave.

"Calm down, Donald! It was just a joke!" Sora yelped with laughter as he ran off towards Woody and Buzz. "So can we at least see you guys off?"

"I don't see that being a problem," Woody answered. "C'mon, the others are waiting for us by the entrance."

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	20. Get Your Game On

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 20: Get Your Game On

Down by the entrance to the Galaxy Toys store, all the toys, along with Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood present and accounted for.

"All right then, just a quick roll call," Buzz told the group as he passed by each individual. "Jessie and Bullseye?"

"Here," Jessie replied, while Bullseye whinnied in approval.

"Hamm?"

"That's the name, don't wear it out," Hamm answered with a smile.

"Sarge and the Army Men?"

"Affirmative, sir. All my mean are at the ready!" Sarge told the space ranger.

"Aliens, are you here?" Buzz then looked up to find them embracing Sora by his legs.

"You have saved our lives; we are eternally grateful!" the three said at once.

"They're here," Sora replied in embarrassment.

"Wheezy?"

"I'm here, Mr. Buzz Lightyear," Wheezy huffed.

"And lastly, Rex..." Buzz spoke, looking up to see Rex was missing. "Wait, where's Rex?"

"He took off," Hamm piped up. "He said he was looking for something to prove that you could trust Sora."

"I think we know where he might be," Woody answered.

"So this is about us? Rex isn't safe with the Heartless still roaming about," Sora mentioned.

"Sora, will you guys help us out one last time?"

"Sure!" the three replied.

"I knew I could count on you three. Now let's go," Woody replied as the five toys plus Jessie and Bullseye set out to find their friend. Eventually, the group ended up at the video game section, where they found Rex rummaging through the Verum Rex display, amongst other games such as _Space Cats_ , _Wall Street Ninja_ , _Legacy of Kain_ and _Puzzle Bobble_.

"Rex, what are you doing?" Woody asked.

"A-ha, I found it! Look, Sora, doesn't he look exactly like you?" Rex remarked, showing Sora the game's box art, which had an image of Yozora lounging on a throne, holding his sword close by.

"Eh-heh, well, I can't say I ever looked that good," Sora answered, trying to keep humble towards the dinosaur, as Woody and Buzz observed the stand-up display that had the same cover.

"You see, Buzz? They are toys, just like us!" Woody convinced Buzz.

"Fair enough, I guess I owe you three an apology for doubting you," Buzz said as he began to turn towards Sora and address him and his friends.

"Donald, you said your magic decides what we look like in the worlds. Care to explain this?" Sora whispered to his duck friend.

"That's an easy one," Donald replied. "That's not really you."

"Now come to think of it, Riku would make for a great action figure!" Goofy added.

"What? That's totally me! We've both got the black clothes, and..." Sora blurted out, blushing in embarrassment as his argument began to crumble down on him.

"Well, now that everyone is accounted for, it's time we finally leave this place behind and go home," Buzz told the others.

"Aw, so soon? But I want to check the strategy guide to see if it says anything about Bahamut!" Rex remarked as he paged through the book until Woody stopped him.

"Maybe next time. For now, we should think about getting home," Sora told Rex as they started walking towards the exit, when Young Xehanort appeared behind them from a dark corridor.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave just yet. My experiment has only just begun," he told the others.

"Give us a break already! Why can't you just let us go home?" Sora groaned angrily as the others got into a battle position, unaware of a marionette Heartless sneaking up behind Buzz.

"You really intend on defying my warnings? Have it your way then; I'm just going to have to skip to the end of it all," Xehanort replied, as the Heartless leapt inside Buzz and possessed him.

"Buzz? Are you alright?" Rex asked, before Buzz sprung awake and silently started to fire his laser and Woody and the others.

"Hey, what's going on?" Goofy cried out as he jumped forward with his shield to block the bolts from incinerating Woody.

"What did you do?" Sora shouted angrily as he charged at Young Xehanort before he vanished.

"I told you before. In this world toys have hearts in part with the special bond between them and their owners. So, what do you think would happen if they are left realms apart? Will their hearts survive, or will they fall into becoming empty husks of cloth and plastic? All I needed some kind of catalyst; someone to sow seeds of distrust in their hearts, and you fit the bill."

"Sora! Help us!" Rex cried out, as he and Donald struggled to restrain Buzz from his continued attack.

"I'm coming!" Sora called as he began to rush over until Young Xehanort stopped him.

"Not this time," he spoke before knocking Sora straight through a demo kiosk for Verum Rex.

When Sora finally came to, he found that he was now inside a cityscape where several Gigas lay waiting in a central spot.

"Now, you may remember that in this world, you come from a video game. So I found it only fitting that you can watch from within it as I bring my experiment to a close. Or, you could watch if you can even find a moment of reprieve."

Sora sighed until he noticed that he woke up next to his own Gigas armor and boarded it.

"Hey, Yozora! Can you read me?" a radio comm voice called out as Sora familiarized himself with the variant's controls.

"Uh... yeah, I can hear you," Sora replied.

"That's good to hear," the voice continued. "It's Magia calling right now; Aegis and I managed to get as much people out from the power plant you're in right now so you can take out that army of Gigas. I don't know if you're familiar with how to control one of them, so-"

"Actually, I managed to learn how to work one of these things in battle," Sora answered.

"Really? That's great!" Magia replied cheerfully. "But just as a refresher, there's three types: the Power armor, the Gunner armor, and the Speed armor. Each of them have their own style of weaponry, but they all basically control the same way. All you need to do is just clear all of them out of the arena and then you can make your escape. Just be careful of the Elite armors that can pop up at any time! Anyway, good luck!"

"Thanks!" Sora told his partner as he then paused in reflection. "Buzz, Woody, just hang in there." Sora then began his fight by blasting at energy cores dotted around the field to take the Gigas out with fiery explosions. He also managed to take out a large group by breaking the glass floor they were standing on when Sora arrived. Eventually, Sora suceeded in defeating all of the other foes when the last armored enemy crashed out from the sky to square off.

"Yozora! This is Aegis right now. Looks like you caught the attention of the Gigas General. He's the strongest out of all of them, so you're in for a tough battle. Just hang in there!" another radio voice told Sora as he got ready for one final encounter. Sora deftly dodged the General's energy blasts and punches as he fired back with pulsing cannon charges. However, the opponent's power became too much and Sora was forced to retreat and find a new armor. Once Sora boarded the new Gigas, he went in for the kill and defeated the General with a quick one-two shot barrage. Sora breathed a sigh of relief as he heard a message telling him that the game was over and he made his way out back to the others, stopping for a second to pick up a new Heartbinder, activating it while lost in thought. In a flash of pixels and light, an arcade screen fizzled to life for a game called "Fix-It Felix Jr., as Sora saw a red-suspender clad man with shaggy brown hair being thrown off a building before the screen vanished, sending the character landing on the ground.

"Ah geez, that was one rough game. At least the players are happy with how... it... turned out..." he said to himself before taking in the view around him. "Oh no! I'm out from my game! If I don't find a way back, who knows what'll happen? Poor Felix must be worried sick, and the kid... oh, I don't think she could take it."

"Uh, can I help you?" Sora asked.

"Hey, who are you? And more importantly, where am I? This doesn't look anything like Hero's Duty!" the man asked.

"Oh, uh, my name's Sora, and I got thrown in here by someone who wanted to separate me from my friends. I was just about to go back to them now," told the newcomer.

"Oh, good. For a second, I thought you were just another creep trying to go Turbo or something. My name's Ralph, and if you'd like, I can help you out of here."

"Really?" Sora asked.

"You betcha! Now, just clench your teeth, this might sting for a moment," he answered as he wound up a punch.

"Huh?" Sora asked again, as he was sent flying by a haymaker punch through the screen, back out into Galaxy Toys.

"You're welcome! I'll be around whenever you need me!" Ralph called out as he began to disappear and return back to his own world. After all, he'd have a very interesting story to tell Vanellope down at Tapper's tonight about a new friend...

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key. P.S. Hope everyone is enjoying both the release of Endgame and the most recent Critical Mode KH3 update!


	21. Crashing the Wedding

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 21: Crashing the Wedding

Meanwhile, back at the Castle of Dreams, Riku, Mickey and Aqua were finishing a surveillance over the town and up to the ports for any sign of Lady Tremaine or the Heartless and Unversed, per the King's orders. Collectively, the group breathed a sigh of relief that the perimeter was clear, and they decided to return to the castle.

"I think we owe it to Cinderella and the Prince to stick around for their wedding," Riku told the others. "After all, we did help them reunite with each other."

The team began their approach back to the Castle, when they were stopped by a carriage careening through, nearly running them over.

"Hey, are you trying to kill us, you reckless driver?" Mickey shouted, only for his eyes to widen as he realized the carriage was in fact an Unversed, being driven by a portly greasy-looking man.

"Hey, doesn't that driver look a lot like the cat we fought?" Aqua observed, as the group then came to the realization that Cinderella might be in trouble again. "Cinderella!"

"We've got to get going!" Riku shouted.

"Wait," Aqua told Riku. "There's something I need to do first."

"What do you mean wait? That thing's getting away!" Riku argued.

"Exactly, which is why you'll need a way to get to it faster. Now tap the piece on your shoulder," Aqua instructed to the young teenager, who then reached towards his left shoulder blade and felt a piece of armor not unlike what was part of Aqua's ensemble. Tapping the center of the piece with his fingers, he was adorned with a full suit of Keyblade armor following a flash of light. Observing the suit, Riku was surprised to find the armor was based off a medieval knight with armor plates colored a mix of a smooth silver and ebony black, his helmet curved into the shape similar to a raven's beak, making it almost akin to the look of a plague doctor's mask.

"This is incredible," Riku murmured in awe, before he summoned his Keyblade Braveheart, which morphed into wings that resembled a fallen angel's as he flew off after the Unversed. After patrolling the skies, he eventually caught up to the Unversed and found that Cinderella managed to escape with Jaq before he swooped down and caught the human version of Lucifer, who growled and whined while trapped in Riku's grip.

"You've been a bad kitty," Riku told the slimy cat-man, before dropping him into the pond below. "Have a nice soak, scum!" When he landed, he saw Aqua and Mickey had caught up with Cinderella and Jaq while the carriage Unversed continued to barrel forward towards Riku. Unflinchingly, Riku summoned his Keyblade and used a series of 8 heavy slices to cut through the monster like butter, leaving it to collapse to the ground and disappate in chunks. Relieved that the threat was disposed of, Riku rushed over towards Cinderella and the others.

"Cinderella, what happened? I thought you would be at the wedding already," Aqua asked.

"My stepmother pulled another trick," Cinderella explained. "She got the wand back, and she disguised Anastasia to look just like me, so the Prince couldn't tell he's marrying a fake."

"So he doesn't know the truth?" Mickey asked.

"That's why she sent us away, and turned ol' Lucifer human to try an' kill us!" Jaq added.

"That's crazy!" Riku exclaimed, as he activated his Keyblade armor wings once more and picked up the princess and her mouse friend before taking off for the castle and Aqua and Mickey rode off on Aqua's Keyblade Glider after Riku. "Hang on, you two! We've got a wedding to stop... again!"

* * *

Back at the castle, the wedding was already underway, as the King and the disguised Anastasia were walking down the aisle towards the Prince.

"I'll say this much, Cinderella, this has certainly been eventful in more ways than one, but my wife and I always dreamed that this day would come: when our son would find his true love," the King told her.

"So, you just know if it's love or not when your hands meet, or so I've heard?" Anastasia asked.

"Ah, of course; at least that's what my wife and I always believed," he answered as the ceremony officially began and eventually it came time to exchange vows.

Outside of the castle, Riku and the others somehow managed to make it past the guards and arrived the cathedral room right as it came time for Anastasia to give her vow.

"Now, Cinderella, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, for as long as you both shall live?" the priest asked as the woman silently contemplated, her gaze briefly turning towards Lady Tremaine and Drizella, who were hiding behind a large cloth banner out of sight from everyone else.

"Just say 'I do'," Tremaine whispered. "What are you waiting for?" she seethed.

"I..." the disguised Anastasia began, just as Riku and the real Cinderella entered the large room. "I don't."

Everyone was shocked as Riku and Cinderella stepped forward and Lady Tremaine made her way out from her hiding spot.

"You ungrateful child; I gave you everything you could ever want, and yet you ask for more?" Tremaine growled angrily, an aura of darkness starting to overtake her as she let the illusion spell she cast wear off on Anastasia.

"But I want somebody to love me for who I really am," Anastasia told her mother.

"Leave her alone, haven't you done enough?" Riku asked in frustration.

"Silence, boy! I'll show you all what happens when you dare to cross someone like myself!" she bellowed as she cast a spell on the guards who were poised to attack, turning them all into different animals. She then turned her attention towards Riku, Anastasia and the recently arriving Aqua and Mickey. "And now, for you four."

"Ooh, turn them into toads, mother!" Drizella giggled sinisterly, as Tremaine raised her wand up ready to strike, when Cinderella leapt in front of the others.

"No more! You've gone too far this time!" Cinderella called Tremaine out.

"Ah, even better," Tremaine spoke with a grin on her face. "Bippidy Boppidy Boo!"

"Cinderella!" the Prince cried out as he deflected the blast of magic by the wand as it hit back at Tremaine and Drizella; the two of them became shrouded by darkness as the smoke disappeared and revealed a Heartless wearing Tremaine's garments with Drizella transformed into a feral cat Heartless.

"They fell to darkness after all," Aqua observed. "There's only one thing to do now."

"Wait, isn't there another way to save them?" the step-sister asked.

"I'm sorry," Riku told her. "But when someone falls that deep into darkness, it's impossible to pull them back out. This is the most merciful thing we can do for them now." Riku and Aqua then teamed up to take down the Heartless by reflecting back the spells it fired and struck at the two Heartless bosses, eventually cutting them down.

"Is everyone all right?" Anastasia asked as the chaos died down, then she looked at the King and Duke.

"My nerves can't take much more of this," the King groaned, before he took notice of Anastasia stepping forward, returning the sea shell he gave her earlier.

"I'm sorry for everything, your Majesty," she apologized. "I don't deserve this gift." She was then surprised to find him closing her palm shut to keep the shell. "I don't understand."

"Everyone deserves a chance for a happy ending, dear," he told her warmly. Cinderella and the others looked onward, knowing Anastasia had finally broken free and found a way to carve out her own path.

"Well, all's well that ends well, huh?" Mickey asked the others, before he and Riku noticed Aqua was beginning to fade away. "Aqua! What's happening?"

"You both already know I don't belong in this world. The real me is still out there somewhere, but you taught me something important. Before today, I was taught that people who spent their lives living in darkness could never be able to turn things around; that thoseven surrounded by darkness should be destroyed... but there's still always that one glimmer of light that never goes out, no matter what. Thank you for showing me that: Riku, Mickey, and especially you, Anastasia. Someday, I think we'll meet again, for real. Goodbye." After telling the group her message of gratitude, she disappeared into particles of light, leaving Riku and Mickey lost in thought.

"Do the two of you have to go so soon?" Cinderella asked.

"I'm afraid so, but sometime the two of us will return with our friends to visit you, Cinderelly," Riku said with a smile as everyone briefly shared a laugh.

"Goodbye, you guys!" Jaq told the others as they summoned a portal outside and started to walk down to return over by the building is made to change if they were ever looking for her. The two of them bid farewell to the others and continued their journey to find those whose hearts were joined to Sora.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	22. Castle of Dreams Journal Entries

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 22: Castle of Dreams Journal Entries

* Riku (Keyblade Armor Form)- A true Keyblade master and childhood friend of Sora and Kairi. Though he struggled with the darkness in the past, he learned to control his heart and successfully earned the Mark of Mastery. In order to gather the remaining guardians of light needed to confront Master Xehanort, Riku and King Mickey have gone searching for the lost Keyblade wielders who vanished over ten years ago. This is the form Riku takes by activating his Keyblade armor.

* Aqua (?)- One of the three Keyblade masters that Sora and Riku are looking for to be able to fight against Master Xehanort. However, this is not the real Aqua, but instead a version of her from her first visit to the Castle of Dreams.

* Cinderella {Cinderella (1950)}- One of the Seven Princesses of Heart that was needed to open the Final Door in Hollow Bastion. A true optimist, she always looks for hope even in the darkest of times. When her stepmother stole the Fairy Godmother's wand,, she teamed up with Mickey, Riku and Aqua to go and set things right.

* Jacques {Cinderella (1950)}- One of the mice in Tremaine's chateau that Cinderella befriended in her days serving as her stepmother's maid. Unflinchingly brave, he would do anything to help out his "Cinderelly".

* Lady Tremaine {Cinderella (1950)}- Cinderella's wicked stepmother, who forces her to live in the attic and finish unreasonable amounts of chores each day. She herself lives in luxury and spoils her own daughters, Drizella and Anastasia, rotten; but when Cinderella married the Prince, the three of them were forced into near poverty. She used the wand of the Fairy Godmother to turn back time and exact revenge on Cinderella, whatever it took.

* Anastasia {Cinderella (1950)}- One of Cinderella's stepsisters. She used to be a real nasty character, but she's had a change of heart and genuinely wants someone to love her for all she is, even with her faults. I almost feel for the poor girl having to face being put down by her own family time and time again.

* Drizella {Cinderella (1950)}- Cinderella's other stepsister who takes glee in tormenting Cinderella. With the wand 's power, she wants to make the most out of living the high life.

* Prince Charming {Cinderella (1950)}- The prince of this kingdom, who fell in love with a girl he met at the ball. He was reunited with his true love when the glass slipper, his only clue to the girl's identity, fit Cinderella perfectly _._ Lady Tremaine tried to deceive him with magic so he would marry Anastasia, but we managed to get the record straight and reunite the two the way they were meant to be.

*The Grand Duke {Cinderella (1950)}- A man who, at the King's insistence, is trying to help Prince Charming find a bride. Though fiercely loyal, he tends to be a bit scatterbrained.

* The King {Cinderella (1950)}- Prince Charming's father, who hopes to find his son his own true love. He is quick to anger at times, but is mostly a humble soul, who helped Anastasia discover for herself what true love and happiness really can be about.

* Lucifer the Cat {Cinderella (1950)}- Lady Tremaine's mischievous and temperamental cat, who has caused more than his own share of trouble for both Cinderella and Jaq. Tremaine even used the wand's magic to turn Lucifer human so he could do away with them, but we put a stop to that plan and thwarted the bad kitty.

* The Fairy Godmother {Cinderella (1950)}- Cinderella's friendly fairy godmother, who helped the princess make her dreams come true one night and gave her a chance to attend the Prince's ball. She helped Terra and Aqua out on their own adventure, and assisted Merlin in Sora's travels in Traverse Town. She was unfortunately turned into stone by Young Xehanort after Anastasia stole the fairy's wand.

* Flood Unversed- The Unversed equivalent of a Shadow. Agile, but otherwise unimpressive.

* Scrapper Unversed- These baddies like to wait for an opening, and if you start swinging your Keyblade around without paying attention, they'll take a swipe at you, so it's best to stay alert! Either that, or to look for an opening in their attacks. One thing to note is these Unversed tend to move single file and straight forward.

* Flowersnake Unversed- These pests cling to poles and pipes, where they pump out poison that sticks around for a while. Watch your step! One blast of their supersonic scream that they emit while crawling on the floor will leave you stunned. Make the move first before they have the chance to screech.

* Shoegazer Unversed- When it comes to these literal foot soldiers, they tend to be more of a threat when they attack in groups, so the best strategy is to take them down one at a time. They like to tuck their heads in when the going gets rough, and attacks do nothing against them when they do.

* Mean Maiden Heartless- The Heartless of Lady Tremaine and Drizella that came to be when the two of them succumbed to the darkness trying to upstage Cinderella and Anastasia. This Heartless uses the Fairy Godmother's wand to cast a wide variety of offensive and defensive spells to hinder your efforts in defeating it, and it will throw its cat at you on occasion to gradually deal damage over time. The best course of action is to attack it up close and eventually it will fall before you.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update, and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	23. Where is Buzz and When Aqua Falls

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 23: Where is Buzz and When Aqua Falls

Deep within the Realm of Darkness, some time before Riku and Mickey made their voyage to search for Aqua, she and Ansem the Wise were sitting on the beachfront of the Dark Margin conversing.

"Tell me, Aqua, my dear, will you stay here?" Ansem the Wise questioned the young woman.

"I don't know;" Aqua answered. "I just can't shake this feeling that these waters touch another shore I've visited once."

"The Destiny Islands," Ansem deduced.

"So you've heard of them?" Aqua asked.

"Yes. They are quite lovely... certainly a far cry from this desolate wasteland."

"If I stay, then someone's sure to come," Aqua told her acquaintance.

"You realize that these waters are the in-between space of darkness and light. If they brought you and I together, then who's to say it wouldn't also unite you with someone else?"

"...True enough," Aqua replied as they continued to take in the sight of the distant waves out in the sea. Their silent reflection was eventually broken by footsteps crunching against the sand behind them.

"Who's there?" Aqua called out, as she whipped around and saw a silver-haired man adorned in a black coat similar to Ansem's approach.

"You!" Ansem recognized the figure as his traitorous apprentice: the one who took the name of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.

"Master, I would have words with you," the Seeker told his superior, as Ansem lowered his hood and revealed his face.

"So now you mock me, my apprentice?" Ansem sternly questioned.

"You recall those experiments of the heart you forced me to cease, do you not?" Ansem SoD asked. "Among the many test subjects was a girl who lost her memory, just as I had. Where did you put her? If her memory was ever reconstructed, she would be a great asset."

"What girl?" Ansem replied, refusing to give a straight answer.

Frowning in disdain, Ansem the Seeker gave a devious grin and answered as he reached out for his former teacher "Very well then; if you won't tell me voluntarily, then perhaps you will once I make you scream." Ansem the Wise was then moved away as Aqua stood in front of him and stood on the defensive side.

"Get out of here, now!" Aqua demanded.

"Hmm... a lost guardian of light? Interesting; you can wait here, for the rodent King and his fool," Ansem spoke as he summoned his Dark Guardian to restrain Aqua, but she kicked it away through sheer force of will, but her efforts weren't enough to completely stop it, as it eventually took a vice grip on the Keyblade Master.

"Please, no more! I'll go with you if you spare her!" Ansem pleaded with his apprentice.

"Now you see reason," Ansem the Seeker told his teacher knowingly. "Truly you are worthy of the name 'Ansem the Wise'." Aqua then took this moment to break free and make her next move. "You poor girl, I mustn't leave you with nothing, Now I shall use my ultimate attack: the Mega Destruction Dark Ball of Darkness and Destruction!" Ansem SoD then proceeded to fire off a homing blast of dark energy from the Guardian's chest which made impact with Aqua, sending her plummeting into the ocean, as Ansem the Wise watched the scene unfold in horror. Far from their sight, Aqua was slowly becoming corrupted by the dark blast as she sank deeper and deeper into the depths.

"No! You told me you'd spare her!" Ansem shouted at his apprentice.

"I lied, you of all people should've realized that," Ansem SoD told his master matter-of-factly as the two of them then left through a Dark Corridor, back into the Realm of Light.

* * *

Back in the Toy Box, Sora hopped out of the Verum Rex game he was trapped in and made his way over to his friends, who were still recovering from Buzz's sudden attack against them.

"Guys! Are you okay? Where's Buzz?" Sora asked as he helped the toys back on their feet.

"After Buzz attacked us, the guy in the black coat took him through a dark portal and they disappeared," Rex explained.

"Buzz isn't the kind of toy that would just turn on his friends like that," Jessie added. "One of those critters that got all those other toys must've got to him!"

"Well, we can't let him get away with this!" Goofy and Donald piped up. "Just where can we find him though?"

"Gentlemen!" Sarge spoke up, as he and his men arrived. "We've just finished recon, and found that there is a dark portal lying deep within Babies and Toddlers; back in another part of the store! My men have already unlocked the hatch to get inside."

"Thank you, Sarge. Now, looks like we're not done yet," Woody said as he turned his attention back towards Sora. "Sora, let's go rescue Buzz, so then we can all find our way back home. If it's okay with you, that is."

"Don't worry, I won't leave you to get him back all by yourself. Like you said, what matters the most is that you're there for both Andy and each other. I know how important something like that can be," Sora replied.

"You can count us in too!" Donald and Goofy added cheerfully.

"Me and Bullseye are rarin' to go," Jessie told Woody, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Thanks, everyone. Now then, let's get moving out!" Woody told the others as they began to make their trek back to the second floor, on a mission to save their space ranger friend.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update (and yes, that was a flipping Just a Pancake reference; please show your appreciation by subscribing to him on YouTube), and please remember to leave a review! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	24. Just Play Nice

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 24: Just Play Nice

After some backtracking in the store, Sora and the others made it back towards the district of the store where they had previously freed Wheezy and the Aliens from the Heartless UFO and saw a hatch open by a higher part of the plastic mesh windowsill.

"Looks like Sarge and the others did what they could; now let's roll," Woody told Sora and the others as they climbed the wall and landed on the other side of the store, finding a Gigas figure and green building blocks blocking the door leading out.

"How'd those get there?" Goofy wondered out loud.

"Hey, maybe that toy could move them for us," Jessie suggested.

"It's worth a try!" Sora answered as he leapt in and used a magnet feature to draw the blocks away from the door, unlocking it as it swung open. "That worked out, now there has to be more of them somewhere."

"Look ahead, Sora!" Donald pointed out as they saw more green blocks and also the dark portal hanging in a air vent several tens of feet above them. "How do we get up there?"

"There's some more blocks over there," Sora told his friends as he saw the blocks lying on the floor surrounded by darkness. After fighting more possessed toys that appeared from them, Sora used the magnet feature to make the blocks form a piece of a larger structure. "If we keep looking, those blocks could help us get up there!" the teen proposed as everyone began searching around the play area for blocks, fighting Heartless until eventually the blocks gathered together and made a giant toy statue of a walking cactus that fell upright next to the air grate.

"Uh, is that cactus moving like it's alive?" Donald squawked.

"Doesn't matter; what's important is that we can get up there now and save Buzz!" Woody answered. Going up the statue with wall running, Sora and the others entered the portal and saw an unconscious Buzz suspended in mid-air by dark tendrils while Young Xehanort held his control over Buzz as Woody ran forward to approach the Nort.

"What have you done with Buzz, you monster?!" Woody demanded.

"Isn't it a sight to see, the darkness coming from a toy separated from the boy he loves most?" Xehanort asked. "Now this is the power I've come to expect from the forces of darkness."

"So you're saying we'll end up like Buzz if we don't find Andy?" Woody murmured.

"You can't think like that!" Sora assured the cowboy. "Andy's still a part of all your hearts, just like my friends are a part of mine. You have to believe that!" Woody then paused and observed the Sharpie writing of Andy's name on the bottom of his plastic boot.

"Spare me your mushy drivel, boy. But consider: if friends are power, then the pain of loneliness must be one that is stronger still," Young Xehanort told Sora unamused.

"Listen, whatever you're going on about, I really don't care. Now put my friend back the way he was, and get lost!" Woody remarked.

"Or what will you do, toy?" Xehanort asked in bemusement.

"Yeah, I am a toy. But wanna know what else I am? I'm a loyal friend," Woody answered defiantly as he stomped through the shadows closer and closer, Jessie and Bullseye slowly joining him in the approach. "If I had to guess, nobody's ever loved you before, because somebody like you knows nothing of hearts and love."

"How does it feel to know that you're just dead inside like those monsters you brought here? Even when Emily started to forget about me, I knew that somewhere in her heart, I was still hanging on to the memories we made. And now, me and Bullseye have a new family, and we won't let someone like you tear it apart!" Jessie added seething her words.

"There are hearts all around us trying to connect, and despite everything you did, you only made Woody's, Jessie's and Buzz's connections stronger. They would never give up on each other, and wherever Andy and the others are, they haven't given up either," Sora continued.

"It doesn't matter what you do, we are going home and bringing Buzz with us!" Woody told the villain as he could feel his hold on Buzz slipping.

"Xehanort, you were so caught up in looking for the shadows, you keep forgetting about the light that casts them!" Sora added as he and Donald and Goofy charged forward, blocking the Nort from attacking. "Get Buzz, now!" Without a moment to waste, Woody and Jessie jumped onto their trusty horse, ready to ride.

"Ride like the wind, Bullseye!" Woody proclaimed, as the toy horse galloped forward towards Buzz. Woody then turned towards Jessie and spoke "Jessie, get ready to jump on my count! One... two... three!" At Woody's three, Jessie leapt into the air, and lassoed a loose block before swinging forward and catching Buzz as she landed back on Bullseye and the four of them came to a halt. In a matter of seconds, Buzz came to and looked at his friends.

"Woody, Jessie, I... what happened and why am I here?" Buzz asked.

"Oh, I don't know! Somebody must've switched you into 'Dark and Stormy' Mode or something," Woody sarcastically joked.

"But I don't have a- oh." Buzz then got on his feet as Woody and Jessie helped him up. "Thank you, you two."

"It's good to have you back, Buzz," Woody cheerfully told his friend, when their attention was diverted by Young Xehanort knocking Sora and his two partners aside. He stopped as he took notice of Buzz's laser pointed at his back.

"So, even empty puppets _**can**_ be given hearts. I'll have to be sure to remember that," he mused.

"Remember this, you sad, strange little man: our hearts will always be connected to Andy; no matter what you do!" Buzz replied to the villain.

"And that's something you'd never understand, because you're more hollow than any toy," Woody added with pity.

"But now I have the knowledge that a vessel can given a strong heart of our choosing. For that, let me give you all a parting gift to play with: something you might be familiar with." Young Xehanort told the others as he faded away. Sora tried to attack him, but only found his Keyblade go through him like smoke. "Find the hearts joined to yours, Sora. It is the only way to fulfill your destiny..."

"Ya better run, you loony!" Goofy remarked, before turned in shock to see a giant UFO Heartless toy, with a purple villainous looking action figure standing at its helm.

" _ **So, we meet again, Buzz Lightyear; for the last time!**_ " the figure spoke in a booming voice.

"It's Zurg!" Buzz exclaimed.

"Who?" Donald and Goofy asked.

"In a word: trouble!" Woody answered.

"Then we have a rough fight on our hands!" Sora remarked as he got into battle position and was ready to fight, hopefully to bring back Andy and all the other toys that were lost because of Xehanort.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	25. Rowdy Rumble

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 25: Rowdy Rumble

When the fight began, the black inky void they entered brightened up to reveal a toy city made of blocks, squeaky toy animals, and more. Zurg's ship stood at the center of the city, strafing around the border as Sora and the others tried to reach the ship's sole weak point: the cockpit hatch. As the blocks that made up the buildings were knocked down by the Heartless ship Zurg was piloting, Sora bounced off the blocks with Flowmotion to reach the cockpit and starting bashing away, slowly chipping the glass off of the cockpit until the ship spun upside down to knock Sora off.

"Sora! Hang in there!" Goofy called out as his friend clung on hard to the edge of the UFO in an effort to climb back up and continue the attack.

"Don't worry, Sora! We'll help!" Woody called out as he lassoed blocks after they were knocked down and hurled them back at the UFO, causing it to crash. Zurg then popped out from the cockpit, and decided to just attack the other toys directly with his ping-pong ball ammunition. Buzz retaliated by shining his laser in Zurg's visor eyes.

" _Argh!_ " the villain groaned, increasing his fire only for it to be knocked away by Sora activating the Counter Shield form of his Keyblade Hero's Proof. " _It is futile to resist, Lightyear. Now surrender to me and perhaps I'll spare your friends_ ," Zurg warned.

"Never, you foul scourge of the galaxy!" Buzz replied defiantly. "You killed my father!"

" _Don't you see, Lightyear? I AM your father,_ " Zurg proclaimed back solemnly.

"NOOOOOOO!" Buzz cried out in shock as Sora knocked the villain away, sending him tumbling into the void.

"Whew, glad that's all over!" Goofy remarked in relief as they noticed Buzz looking over where Zurg had fallen.

"Father..." Buzz muttered sadly.

* * *

Some time had now passed since the group returned from out of the other dimension and arrived back at the store entrance.

"I hope that's the last we see of that guy," Donald pondered. "At least the Organization won't bother the toys anymore."

"But Xehanort got away again, Donald. And it looks like Sora's not taking it too well," Goofy told his accomplice, noticing Sora was lost in thought over what Xehanort said before he left: a heart can be put in a body of the Organization's choosing. Somehow, there was something naggingly familiar about that.

"Sora? You've been awfully quiet since the fight. Are you alright?" Woody asked.

"I'm sorry, everyone! I just wanted to get you all back home!" Sora apologized.

Woody, Buzz and the other toys looked at each other and then responded to Sora's statement.

"Yeah, I guess we are stuck here," Woody and Buzz told Sora.

"Hogtied with no way out, it looks like," Jessie added.

"Our position appears fixed, everyone," Sarge continued.

"That means we'll have to stick around a bit longer... with our new best friends. Besides, I don't think any of us are ready to say goodbye yet." Woody told Sora.

"Thanks, everyone. Maybe sometime we'll come back and play some more," Sora assured the other toys.

"Oh, and Sora, I apologize for even doubting you. Can you ever forgive me?" Buzz asked.

"Hey, don't sweat it!" Sora told the space ranger. "You were just being protective of your friends. I can't blame you for that," Sora replied.

"That's good to hear, somebody needs to be around to make sure headstrong Woody here doesn't get into trouble," Hamm said jokingly.

"Sounds a bit like Sora," Goofy observed.

"Then I guess that makes me the dependable one among us!" Donald gloated.

"Like Buzz! ...Kind of," Rex added, as everyone except Donald shared a laugh.

"Well, I hope that you find whoever or whatever you're looking for. Now it's time for you three to go to Infinity and Beyond!" Buzz told the group before everyone parted ways, and Sora obtained a keychain called "Favorite Deputy" to remember the group's adventures in the Toy Box by.

* * *

At the same time, Riku and Mickey had landed in Radiant Garden, where they ended up running into Dilan, who was doing a round of patrols in the Town Square.

"Ah, you must be the Keyblade Master," Dilan greeted. "I apologize for ever antagonizing you back when I was a Nobody."

"Uh, I don't think we ever met face to face before," Riku told the guard.

"No, perhaps we didn't; but nonetheless I've heard much about you, Riku. My name is Dilan, but back when I was with the Organization, I was known as the Whirlwind Lancer Xaldin, and I surveyed the world that the creature known as the Beast made his home," Dilan told the Keybearer. "I take it the two of you wish to see Ienzo and the others?"

"You'd really take us to them?" Mickey asked.

"Of course, but I must warn you: while the Heartless population here has dropped significantly since his Majesty's last visit, the ones that remain have become much more agressive. Now, if you'd kindly follow me..." Dilan warned as the trio set out to get to Ansem the Wise's castle fortress.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. And don't worry, I actually have some more plans story-wise for Zurg and the rest of the Toy Box characters, but that'll come around further down the line, because we have more worlds to visit first. I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	26. Toy Box Character Journal Entries

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 26: Toy Box Journal Entries

* Sora (Toy Box Form)- A boy who wields a Keyblade. Having previously surmounted countless challenges, he was at last given a chance to complete the Mark of Mastery examination, but the attempt ended in failure. He was overtaken by darkness, and lost nearly all his powers and strength in the process. Together with Donald and Goofy, he has set forth on a new adventure to reclaim that lost strength and acquire the Power of Waking in order to prepare for the looming battle with Master Xehanort. In this world, Donald's magic turned him into a toy action figure that bears a close resemblance to game character Yozora.

* Donald Duck (Toy Box Form) {The Wise Little Hen (1934)}- Mickey's court magician and a loyal friend. Donald has journeyed with Sora many times to keep the worlds safe. He has pledged to help Sora through the trials ahead. His Form magic turned him into a spell-slinging action figure to blend in with this world's inhabitants.

* Goofy (Toy Box Form) {Mickey's Revue (1932)/Two Weeks Vacation (1952)}- The captain of Mickey's royal knights and a loyal friend. Goofy has journeyed with Sora many times to keep the worlds safe. He has pledged to help Sora through the trials ahead. Donald's Form magic turned him into a defensive figurine to blend in with the world's inhabitants.

* Young Xehanort- A member of the real Organization XIII; this is Master Xehanort's younger self. He has traveled forward through time more than once to guide Sora.

* Woody Pride {Toy Story (1995)}- Andy's treasured toy cowboy and the de facto leader of the toys. He took the initiative in getting to the bottom of their strange new circumstances.

* Buzz Lightyear {Toy Story (1995)}- A newer addition to Andy's toy lineup; an action figure who at one point believed he was a real space ranger. Buzz reluctantly agreed to leave Andy's room to investigate Galaxy Toys.

* Hamm {Toy Story (1995)}- Andy's piggy bank. His belly, full of loose change, tends to slow him down when the call of action comes. Unlike Rex, he's more of a Gigas fan.

* Green Army Men {Toy Story (1995)}- An army in a bucket, equipped with an array of gear that enables them to perform a broad range of missions.

* Rex {Toy Story (1995)}- Andy's toy Tyrannosaurus. His fierce appearance belies a meek and anxious nature. Rex is an avid video game fan, and his current character obsession is Yozora.

* Squeaky-Toy Alien {Toy Story (1995)}- An identical trio that were prizes from the Pizza Planet crane game. They tend to stick together at all times.

* Mrs. Davis {Toy Story (1995)}- Andy Davis's mother. She has been worried sick by the disappearance of her son and his sister Molly, and fervently hopes that they'll eventually come back.

* Buster {Toy Story 2 (1999)}- Andy's plucky pet dachshund who is good friends with Woody and the other toys. He has been waiting patiently for the time his master will return, but will help Sora and the others around the house whenever they may need him.

* Jessie the Cowgirl {Toy Story 2 (1999)}- A cowboy doll that Woody once met when he was kidnapped by a collector of memorabilia from a show called Woody's Roundup. Together they eventually escaped and made their way back to Andy. We found her at Galaxy Toys after the Heartless took her and then she helped us fight through the freaky store to save the rest of her friends, with the help of her friendly critter posse.

* Bullseye {Toy Story 2 (1999)}- A floppy rag doll horse that Woody once met when he was kidnapped by a collector of memorabilia from a show called Woody's Roundup. Together they eventually escaped and made their way back to Andy. We found him at Galaxy Toys after the Heartless took him and then he helped us fight through the freaky store to save the rest of his friends.

* Zurg {Toy Story 2 (1999)}- A action figure of Buzz Lightyear's sworn enemy; an intergalactic despot with an army of robots under his control. He fought alongside the giant Heartless Xehanort summoned, but was quickly defeated by us. He claims he's really Buzz's father, but is it possible he's just lying?

* Wheezy {Toy Story 2 (1999)}- A squeaky toy penguin who is one of Andy's toys. He has a bad coughing problem that was caused by a faulty squeaker and dust allergies. We managed to save him after fighting off the Heartless that caught the Aliens.

* Wreck-It Ralph {Wreck-It Ralph (2012)}- A friend that answered Sora's call through the power of the Heartbinder. In his own home world, Ralph was the bad guy of an arcade game called Fix It Felix Jr, until he wanted to change his life for the better and become a hero. His wrecking skills come in handy for taking out droves of Heartless whenever he's around.

* Toy Trooper Heartless- Those jet packs and ray guns may be toys, but these "masked intruders" are anything but fun and games when they come barreling your way. Sometimes, they'll try to throw grenades at you, but this isn't necessarily all bad. After they toss them, they attempt to duck away from the blast. Take this moment to kick them while they're down, or if you're feeling fancy, a well-timed Keyblade strike will send it back at them instead.

* Marionette Heartless- This puppet may not seem like such a pain when it rides around on its ring, but just wait until it possesses another toy! Or better yet, don't wait for that, and just go take it out on sight.

* Gold Beat Heartless- These electrical enemies zip through the air and zap you. They have to stop and conjure up a sigil before they can rain lightning down on you, so take that chance to exact brutal punishment. Their rapid-fire thunderstorm will electrify you if it connects, so watch for the tell and don't get too close. Aero magic will have them winded in no time flat. If you've got the MP to spare, start flinging those gales!

* Pole Cannon Heartless- If you approach these turrets, they'll only warp away, so your best bet is to attack from a distance with magic. The extending arm mount allows them a variety of firing positions. The silver lining in all this? You'll look amazing swinging around that pole!

* King of Toys Heartless- A colossal Heartless summoned by Young Xehanort to stall Sora and his pals at Toy Box. This thing comes with everything; annoying force fields? Check. Hailstorm of missiles? Check. A ridiculously huge tornado that flings around all nearby toys in the area? That's oddly specific, but check! As toys go, definitely not fun, and with Zurg around, it gets worse.

* Gigas: Power Class- One of Galaxy Toys' hottest products. Unfortunately, this one is being piloted by a Toy Trooper with a taste for terror. This model boasts a sturdy hull and brutal close-quarter attacks. Keep your distance, and avoid that shoulder tackle at all costs!

* Gigas: Speed Class- One of Galaxy Toys' hottest products. Unfortunately, this one is being piloted by a Toy Trooper with a perchant for peril. This model's speed and agility are its greatest weapons. Well, that and the mega cluster of explosives it fires from its shoulder cannons.

* Gigas: Gunner Class- One of Galaxy Toys' hottest products. Unfortunately, this one is piloted by a Toy Trooper that's keen on chaos. This long-range model's a bit of a glass cannon, so get up in its face and smash it to bits! The energy rounds it fires from its shoulder cannons are blazingly fast, so get out of the way once it starts aiming.

* Beasts and Bugs- A unlucky denizen of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. Expect these quick critters to zip out of range and let their cannons fly. That's about the only thing they can do, actually.

* Patchwork Animals- Unlucky denizens of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. These simple minded plushies know only one trick: chaaarge! Use magic to trip them up, then give them some new stitches.

* Air Droids- Unlucky denizens of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. When these nuisances aren't blasting at you with their arm cannons, they're blasting you with gale force winds. Fortunately, they can't do both at the same time, so when they switch on that fan, use magic to blow _**them**_ away!

* Bouncy Pets- Unlucky denizens of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. These bouncy baddies hardly stay still for long. Use these brief pauses to take the spring out of their step!

* Supreme Smasher- A unlucky denizen of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. This massive menace gave Sora and friends a run for their money, but in the end no deadly claws or terrible tower turrets were a match for the mighty Rex. Yes, _that_ Rex.

* Angelic Amber- An unlucky denizen of Galaxy Toys that got possessed by a Marionette. Unpredictable and erratic, her moves made her a maddening foe to face. Once Sora and the others freed her from the Marionette's ill influence, she bore a melancholy expression.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	27. Flower, Gleam and Glow

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 27: Flower, Gleam and Glow

 _This is the story of how I died. ...Kidding! This is actually a really fun story, and the truth is, it's not even mine. This is the story of a girl named Rapunzel, and the three sidekicks who helped watch after her. Now, once upon a time a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. And from this drop of sun grew a magic golden flower. This flower had the power to heal the sick and injured. Anyway, years pass, and a kingdom grew, ruled by a beloved king and queen; and the queen, she was about to have a baby. But she got sick; very sick. This is the point when people start hoping for a miracle; or in this case, a magic flower._

 _However, instead of sharing its power, an old woman named Mother Gothel hoarded the flower and used to keep herself young and beautiful for hundreds of years by singing a special incantation. But one day, in her haste, she unknowingly left the flower exposed for soldiers from the castle to discover it and they took it back to make a medicine for the queen. Its magic healed the queen and a healthy baby girl- a princess- was born. To celebrate her birth, the kingdom sent up hundreds of lanterns into the night sky and for a moment, everyone was happy. But then that moment ended: Gothel snuck into the castle and disappeared with the princess in tow. They searched and searched, but they could not find her; for in a tower in the woods she raised the princess in secret._

"Why can't I go outside?" the young princess would ask, and Gothel's response was always the same.

"The outside world is a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people. You must stay here, where it's safe. Do you understand, flower?"

But the tower could not hide everything. Every year on the princess's birthday, the kingdom would send many lanterns into the night sky, in hopes that she may return one day.

" _ **I can't help but feel like they're meant for me. And I need to see them for myself; not just from my window, but in person! I have to know what they are,**_ " Rapunzel would often muse to herself about the 'floating lights' she would watch every year on her birthday from out the tower window. But little did she know that her life would truly begin on the day of her 18th birthday...

* * *

After the trio parked their Gummi Ship behind a large cluster of bushes in the woods, Sora, Donald and Goofy started walking, taking in the warm weather of the new world.

'It sure is a nice day today," Goofy remarked.

"You said it!" Sora replied, stretching his arms and resting them behind his head while still walking. "It'd be a perfect day to stop for a picnic."

"Why do you think the Keyblade brought us here?" Donald asked his friend.

"Beats me," Sora answered in confusion.

"We'll just figure out as we go, like we usually do," Goofy told Sora.

"As long as there's no Heartless, I don't mind what the reason is," Donald remarked, before the group heard the screams of someone approaching them fast.

"Move! Make way, make way!" a man with short brown hair, brown pants and a blue vest with white sleeves shouted as he sprinted away from a mob of Heartless that were chasing him. As Sora and the others summoned their weapons, the man quickly dove behind a boulder and out of sight.

"You see? If you mention them, then they just show up!" Sora told Donald.

"It wasn't like I knew this would happen!" Donald snapped.

"There goes our picnic," Goofy sighed.

"It's fine. We'll just take them out ourselves," Sora said as they prepared for battle.

"Say, since you know what you're doing, do you mind if I leave this up to you?" the man asked, peering from behind the rock.

"Yeah, we'll handle this. Just go get someplace safe!" Sora told him.

"You have my thanks!" he replied before he muttered to himself "The horse was enough; I don't need any monsters on my trail."

"The what?" Donald inquired.

"Oh, nothing! Name's Flynn by the way, Flynn Rider. I'd say you better get focused, they look real mad," Flynn told the group before he fled and made his exit. The heroes had their work cut out for them as they fought against tiny archer Heartless and a group of dandelion-like Heartless that tried to slap Sora with its dainty leaves, which were easily blocked by Sora's Guard. Eventually, the Heartless were defeated, and the group was left wondering of the whereabouts of Flynn Rider.

"I think I saw him go thataway," Goofy mentioned as he pointed forward towards what looked like a dead end.

"Well, the only way to find out is to investigate, right?" Sora suggested as the group soldiered on, unaware of Flynn's hiding out in a lone tower away from where he met Sora and the others.

"Ah, alone at last," he sighed in relief as he checked inside the satchel he had draped over his shoulder... until he fell to the floor unconscious with a *THWACK!* to the back of his head, the last thing he heard was the surprised yelp of a young girl.

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! Oh, and with E3 next week, what are you all excited to see or hear about? KH3 DLC info? Final Fantasy VII Remake news? The new Avengers game by Square Enix or any news on already announced games like Cyberpunk 2077, Super Mario Maker 2 or any new unannounced games destined to be your future favorites? Feel free to share in your reviews! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	28. Secret Revelations of the Organization

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 28: Intermission II: Secret Revelations of the Organization

Meanwhile, far away in the ruins known as the Keyblade Graveyard, two black robed figures were conversing with each other on top of steep precipices of stone.

"I'm certain that you realize that life is a precious gift, and yet you have decided to rejoin the Organization," the character known as Saix asked a hooded stranger.

"Indeed, but what of it? One eradication at the hands of Axel was enough to learn where _**not**_ to place my trust. What's more, he ripped me away from the one true thing I care most for. I care not for my own humanity, instead, I desire my research! I must see it to its end, no matter the cost!"

"The Replicas?" Saix guessed, as the stranger laughed at his comrade's realization.

"Precisely! Soon enough, they will replace, not merely replicate. If given a heart, a Replica can become as real as any human!"

"That is what I wanted to hear from you. It would truly be regretful to bring you back into the Organization only for you to fail in providing us with our final vessel... Vexen." The figure Saix was talking to then proceeded to lower his hood, revealing the Nobody of Even, the scientist and master over the frozen forces of nature.

* * *

 _ **A couple decades prior...**_

Deep in the Keyblade Graveyard, a hooded mysterious figure was sitting on a rock in the desolate canyonscape, twiddling his thumbs as it seemed like he was waiting for somebody. Eventually, a Dark Corridor opened and revealed another black coated stranger wandering out.

"So? What do you think of it?" the first person asked, as the second person took off his hood and revealed himself as the student known as Xehanort.

"The coat wards off the darkness. It will be of great use to me," Xehanort answered the stranger.

"Y'see? I told you! And what about your world tour? I bet you can see now why your role is so important," the stranger continued as Xehanort sat beside him.

"In some distressing way, I see just how necessary darkness can be... which is why I know exactly what needs to be done. But just what kind of role do you play in all of this? I don't even know your name."

"Well, you'll just have to wait and see. Can't go spoiling the future now, can I?" the stranger replied in a joking tone.

"Let's just say I've some friends in high places as well," Xehanort told the stranger in response, looking upon his Keyblade. "But in time can I call you a friend or an enemy?"

"Me? An enemy?" the stranger questioned in shock, hiding a smirk from his true face under his hood.

" _...As if._ "

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I'm sorry it's shorter than my other ones, but I wanted to try to include my take on that one scene from the ReMind teaser trailer that premiered this week (I'm personally certain that the scene is a flashback with Luxu, given how important it has been revealed he's going to be in future installments; also I think they should just save the Master of Master's appearance for KH4). Also, though the trailer was underwhelming, do I believe that the trailer showed ALL of what's going to be in it? Hell no, so I'm just going to be cautiously optimistic. One thing's for sure though, I am very happy they brought Oathkeeper back and it's free to download. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	29. When My Life Begins

KINGDOM HEARTS III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., PIXAR, Marvel Comics, Tetsuya Nomura, and Square Enix. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

 **WARNING!** Contains story spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III, so read with caution if you haven't played the game yet.

* * *

Chapter 29: When My Life Begins

 ** _Okay, Rapunzel, just take a second to calm down and breathe. You stuffed a ruffian in your closet, there's no reason to pani- wait, I have a person in my closet..._**

These were the thoughts that were running through Rapunzel's mind after she took the unconscious form of the stranger that broke into her tower, and stuffed him inside her small cabinet. " _Boy, would that be a surprise for Mother,_ " she thought. " _Maybe after she sees him like that, she'll stop thinking that I can't keep myself safe._ "

Her attention then shifted towards the satchel that laid aside at the spot where the stranger fell. As she rummaged through it, she found an ornate crown inside. Curiosity started to overtake her, as she set the crown on her head, feeling some spark of a familiar memory come to her, only to then pass like a fleeting shadow...

* * *

Meanwhile, Sora, Donald and Goofy passed through the spot where Goofy pointed out Flynn was running off to, finding a hidden pathway through a cave, veiled by low hanging leaves.

"I hope that Flynn is doing okay," Sora remarked as they wandered through the caverns until they found an opening letting in daylight. Sora and the others rushed on through with enthusiasm, finding a secluded tower in the distance.

* * *

Back inside Rapunzel's Tower, the girl had pulled the 'ruffian' out of her cabinet, and set him upright in a chair, restraining him with her long bands of hair just to be on the safe side, gesturing for her chameleon friend Pascal to wake him up. Pascal crawled up on the stranger's shoulder and tried to slap him awake with his tail. No response came; it was time for Plan B. Pascal stuck his tounge inside the stranger's ear and then bounded off as the stranger snapped awake.

"What happened?" Flynn muttered to himself as he squirmed in his bonds, finding himself heavily restricted in terms of movement by tight yellow strands. "Is this... hair?"

"Struggling is pointless!" a voice called from the shadows. "Who are you? Why are you here?" the voice demanded, stepping forward to reveal a eighteen year old girl in a purple dress, barefoot and with long blonde tresses of hair she held in her hands like a rope.

"Uh, I know not who you are or why I'm here, but may I just say... hi. How are you doin'? The name's Flynn Rider," he told the girl as he introduced himself. Unfazed, the girl kept her guard up and continued her interrogation.

"Who else knows of my location, Flynn Rider?" she asked.

"Okay, listen, blondie..."

"Rapunzel," she clarified.

"Gesundheit. Now the thing is, it's been a long day of running and then I came across your tower, so..." Flynn began to explain, before he stopped and dug around his pockets with his free hand. "Oh no, _where_ is my satchel?"

"I've hidden it, somewhere you'll never, ever find," Rapunzel answered, as if proud of her clever act of trickery.

"It's in that pot right there, isn't it?" Flynn asked flatly.

" _Shoot_ ," she thought to herself as she lifted the frying pan up again and knocked Flynn out with another *Thwack!*. A moment later, Pascal woke Flynn up again with his tongue through the ear trick. " _ **Now**_ it's hidden somewhere you'll never find it," she told Flynn. "Tell me, what do you want with my hair anyway? To cut it, sell it?"

"Wha-? No, all I want is to get out of your hair- literally!" Flynn remarked in frustration.

"So, you don't want my hair?"

"Why on Earth would I want your hair? I just saw a tower, and climbed it. End of story," Flynn told Rapunzel, who then turned towards Pascal and began conversing with each other.

"I know, but he does seem a little more trustworthy now," she whispered, met with the response of Pascal's squeaking of skepticism. Eventually, the conversation ended, and Rapunzel turned her attention back to Flynn. "I'm prepared to offer you a deal. Do you know what these are?" she asked, pointing to her carefully painted mural of the 'floating lights'.

"You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?" Flynn asked from his position face-first against the floor.

" _Lanterns? I knew they weren't stars,_ " she thought before continuing. "Well, tonight they will light the night sky with these 'lanterns'. You will take me outside, guide me to the lanterns, and bring me home safely. Then, and only then, will I give you your satchel back."

"Oh, no can do," Flynn told Rapunzel apologetically. "See, the kingdom and I aren't exactly 'simpatico' at the moment, so I'm afraid I won't be taking you anywhere." Rapunzel then eyed her friend Pascal who then gestured with a balled fist hitting inside his other hand, as if to say "He's playing hard to get. Get him where it hurts: about the satchel!"

"Something brought you here, Flynn Rider; and that is why I made the decision to trust you."

"Terrible decision, really," Flynn replied sincerely.

"But trust me when I tell you this: you can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you'll never find your precious satchel," Rapunzel threatened.

"So... I take you to see the lanterns, then you give me my satchel back; right?" Flynn asked to clarify.

"I promise," Rapunzel assured him. "And know when I promise something, I never go back on that promise- ever."

" _There still might be more of those monsters out there... what to do? Oh! Those three guys in the funny getup look tough enough to take them on,_ " Flynn thought to himself, remembering about the Heartless that have been popping up lately.

"...Alright, I'll do it, but on one condition," Flynn told Rapunzel.

"Really? And what is this condition of yours?" Rapunzel asked.

"There are three sidekicks of mine who will accompany us on the way to the kingdom. They will be sticking around with us two until we reach the castle."

"Deal," Rapunzel told Flynn in agreement, putting her hand out to shake on it, not realizing her grip sent Flynn falling face-first again to the floor. "Oops."

"You broke my smoulder..." Flynn groaned weakly, as Rapunzel helped free him from her hair.

* * *

Back outside the tower, Sora and the others were taking care of more Heartless that popped up in the area, quickly managing to clear them out in time to see Flynn climbing down the tower.

"Hey, look! There's Flynn!" Goofy exclaimed, when they were caught off-guard by a long mound of hair falling down from the tower window like a rope, past Flynn as a young girl slid down the hair rope before stopping and clinging to it just a few inches off the ground. Slowly, she put her foot down on the grass, giggling cheerfully as she enjoyed the newfound sensation of freedom.

" _ **Just smell the grass! The dirt! Just like I dreamed they'd be!"**_ she started to sing, as she ran past the others.

 _ **"Just feel that summer breeze - the way it's calling me.**_  
 _ **For like the first time ever, I'm completely free!**_  
 _ **I could go running, and racing, and dancing, and chasing, and leaping and bounding... hair flying, heart pounding, and splashing, and reeling, and finally feeling...**_

 _ **Now's when my life begiiiiiiinnnnssss!**_ "

* * *

And that finishes this another chapter. I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you all next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	30. Meeting with Yuffie and Leon

Kingdom Hearts III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., Square Enix, Pixar, Tetsuya Nomura and Marvel Comics. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 30: Meeting with Yuffie and Leon

The walk through the city was markedly uneventful for Riku, Mickey and Dilan, until just as they reached a cistern close to Ansem's old castle, and Dilan stopped the two Keybearers in their tracks.

"Wait," the former Nobody warned as he brandished his lance. "This location is where the most Heartless activity has been reported lately. We cannot let our guard down for even a second..."

"I see," Mickey replied, as the two visitors summoned forth their Keyblades, eyeing their surroundings cautiously to avoid a potential ambush. Quietly, the trio strolled through the area until just before they could see the row of buildings leading back to civilization. Mickey seized up, feeling the sensation of somebody trailing them from behind. After feeling a dainty digit tap his shoulder, Mickey screamed as he and Riku swung around, ready to fight, only to find there was a young man with short, wind-waved brown hair and a black jacket emblazoned with a lion's head on the back. He was accompanied by a woman with black hair, a two-piece top and cut shorts, and while her accomplice was wielding a sword with the barrel of a firearm (as strange of a sight as it would seem), she was equipped with ninja stars and an oversized shuriken.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Riku shouted in his paranoia, while the stranger pointed his weapon at the boy.

"I could ask you the same question!" For all we know, you could've brought the Heartless here!" the stranger exclaimed.

"Leon, calm down! This is just a huge misunderstanding," the woman told her partner as she and Mickey approached each other and shook each other's hands. "King Mickey, it feels like it's been forever."

"Yuffie, it's nice to see you and Leon again. Sorry, Dilan warned us about the Heartless..." Mickey explained.

"You don't need to say another thing about it, Your Majesty," Leon responded. "Anyway, I take it this is Sora's friend Riku, right?"

"Uh, yeah, Sora's told me a lot about you two, along with Arieth and Cid," Riku told Leon.

"And Sora speaks pretty highly of you," Yuffie added. "You're pretty handsome too."

"Easy, Yuffie. We've got a Heartless infestation to worry about first," Leon warned, only to see a giant Heartless appear, ready to attack. It was a blue-colored Guard Armor, falling to the ground with a clang before reassembling.

"At last, a more entertaining encounter," Dilan proclaimed with a smirk, ready for battle.

"I think I agree with you there, sideburns," Yuffie snarked. "All the small fry are good for target practice, but it's nice to mix things up."

And so, the battle began, as the five heroes teamed up and destroyed the metallic limbs of the Heartless, leaving it to fall apart again. However, it didn't accept defeat at that moment, as it somehow regrew its limbs and slammed the arms onto the floor as the arms and legs swapped places and its helmet opened to reveal a black void for a face with beady yellow eyes peering from the darkness.

"We need to run to the castle! We'll be safe in there!" Leon explained as the heroes made a mad dash for the path to Ansem's castle, with the Heartless trailing behind them. Riku attempted to slow it down with blasts of Dark Firaga, and while it destroyed the creature's legs, it wasn't enough to completely stop it from following them. Right when they reached the castle doors, they were greeted by a trained guard, who was waiting for the others with a smile.

"Your Majesty, it's good to see you again," the soldier greeted as Mickey and the others ran past.

"We'll save the introductions when we're inside, now quick! Shut the doors!" Leon demanded, as the Restoration Committee member saw Riku rushing forward with the Opposite Armor fast approaching with its gauntlets flying at the Keyblade wielder. Riku had managed to wear it down, but it fought back by firing its gauntlet forward like a missile.

"It's tougher than I thought! We need to get inside!" Riku cried.

"No, I'll take care of it. I knew something like this would happen someday, but I won't let everything Leon and the others have done to restore our home become undone. Get inside and whatever you hear out here, don't come back for me," the soldier ordered.

"But-"

"Stop wasting time and go!" he reiterated sternly as he charged at the gauntlet with a spear, only to be impaled by one of its sharp fingers. With the last of his strength, she released the spear throwing it directly through the armor's chest and into its sealed, tainted heart, which obliterated the Heartless with a shockwave of light, turning the gauntlet that trapped him into ashes as well, resulting in the soldier flopping lifelessly to the ground. After the carnage had ended, a black robed figure approached and removed his hood to reveal a young man with a blonde-mullet hairstyle approach the man's still body and sigh in disgust.

"Yikes, if we were here sooner, things might not have gotten so messy. It looks like we were too late this time, Vexen," the Nobody remarked as he turned his attention towards another hooded figure who revealed himself to be Vexen, the missing apprentice returning back to his home world at last.

* * *

And that finishes this new chapter; and what a way to end it, huh? I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! Next time, we'll deal with what brings Demyx and Vexen back to Radiant Garden to work out the details of their secret plan. See you next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.

Edit: Also, I noticed that there was confusion about the scenario of Aerith's sacrifice in this chapter, and I realize that I was unclear about it, so I changed the scene to have a generic guard bite the bullet and take down the Guard Armor and I'm moving Arieth's presence over to a post-game Sephrioth battle. Thanks to all my readers for understanding. The current chapters of Radiant Garden are going to be edited to reflect this change.


	31. Beginnings of BALAMB

Kingdom Hearts III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., Square Enix, Pixar, Tetsuya Nomura and Marvel Comics. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 31: Beginnings of B.A.L.A.M.B.

Inside the castle, Riku and Mickey saw the limp form of the lowly soldier who gave his life for a cause bigger than himself lying on the floor via one of the computer monitors in Ansem's study. His definitive sacrifice was enough to leave everyone in the room speechless.

"He did what his heart willed her to," Mickey replied solemnly, knowing the unfortunate truth that saving the life of his superiors required the Restoration Commitee member seemingly signing his own death warrant.

"There's one thing we can take from this, however," Dilan added grimly. "The Heartless weren't diminishing from this world- they were biding time and growing stronger in secret. Master Xehanort must've wanted to eradicate the world where many of the loose ends about him were, to leave the King, Riku, and the others ignorant of some greater plan."

"Then does that mean there's going to be... a war on our hands on our home turf?" Yuffie asked.

"Not necessarily," Cid remarked as everyone turned their attention towards the engineer who was working with Ienzo and Cindy. "I've been upgrading the CLAYMORE system with Ienzo's help using backup from the old computer system: the Grid."

"I know that place!" Riku spoke up. "It was one of the Sleeping Worlds me and Sora came across in our test! But that place is swarming with the guards of a guy named CLU still."

"No, I took care of that too," a new voice mentioned, revealing himself to be Sam Flynn, the young man the heroes came across in the Grid, who sought to free his father (and the program's creator) from cyberspace.

"Sam," Riku said in relief, pleased to see an old friend, along with the former ISO Quorra. "What are you doing here in Radiant Garden?"

"After me and Quorra escaped the Grid, the two of us ended up here, and then Ienzo and the others helped us get settled in. This is my dad's old tech, so I think I can be able to repurpose it stronger than before. And besides, I promised that I'd show Quorra a new lease on life since she's free," Sam explained.

"And while we dug around, we found one of Ansem the Wise's old military defense programs. He called it BALAMB, and from what we could gather, it involves biotech to create a line of super soldiers," Ienzo continued. "But we'll need some volunteers to be able to assist with protecting the city, and somebody willing to lead them into battle."

"I'll lead them," Leon offered. "We've come too far to save this place only for it to fall apart all over again. I can't let that happen; I won't."

"That's good, now we just need to have an old friend put the CLAYMORE system in action," Ienzo informed the group, before speaking through a microphone to some kind of presence in the computer. "Tron! Did you hear all that?"

" _ **Of course, Ienzo. How can I be of assistance?"**_ the voice of the software's Master Control Program inquired.

"I need you to put the new defense system into action quickly, and run some test simulations for Leon and our first new recruits."

" _ **And who would those recruits be?**_ "

"Their names are Mickey and Riku," Leon answered, much to the shock of the two Keyblade wielders.

"Us?" Riku asked in shock.

"Why not?" Cid remarked. "Any friend of Sora's is a friend of ours! And you both look like you can take it."

"But that's not the point! You didn't even-" Riku began before Mickey scowled at his friend.

"Riku! You don't have to be so rude!" Mickey told him as they stepped forward, ready to enter Space Paranoids for a training bout alongside Leon. As the light from the computer shined on them, they awoke to find themselves in a data version of Maleficent's old castle. Riku was in his Keyblade armor, while Mickey and Leon were in their regular attire, summoning their weapons forth as a horde of Darkballs, Wyverns, Wizards and Defenders slowly approached them.

"This must be part of the training." Leon remarked.

" _That is correct,_ " Ienzo told the heroes as they were ready for battle. _"Your goal is to defeat as many waves of Heartless as you can. If you're ready, then we can begin in three... two... one."_

* * *

And that finishes this new chapter; and what a way to end it, huh? I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	32. Meeting Rapunzel

Kingdom Hearts III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., Square Enix, Pixar, Tetsuya Nomura and Marvel Comics. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 32: Meeting Rapunzel

Meanwhile, back in the Kingdom of Corona, Rapunzel was taking in her newfound freedom from outside the tower.

"I can't believe I did this! Mother would be so furious with me," she thought out loud to herself, only to then push the thought away swiftly. "It's okay though, what she doesn't know won't kill her, would it?"

Half a minute later, Rapunzel lamented "Oh my gosh; this would kill her!" Again, she eventually decided to push those thoughts away.

Though Flynn was less than enthused with Rapunzel seeming to stall their progression towards the kingdom, Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched in bemusement as Rapunzel enjoyed her newfound freedom.

"Best! Day! Ever! I am never going back!" However, she eventually exhausted herself as she collapsed onto her knees and sobbed on the grassy knoll. Flynn decided to take this moment to offer some advice.

"Seems to me that you're a little at odds with this whole 'running away' sort of thing," Flynn suggested.

"More like a lot!" Donald piped up, only for Flynn to shush the duck who gawked in confusion.

"Anyway, this is just part of growing up, really. A little adventure, some rebellion... that's good; healthy, even! Would this break your mother's heart? Probably, but you just have to do it!"

"W-would it really break her heart?" Rapunzel asked, her voice raspy from crying.

"Right in half, but if you don't want to do this, I'll take you back home and I'll get my satchel back, and we can part ways as unlikely friends," Flynn answered as he proposed an alternative deal.

"No! I am seeing those floating lights one way or ano-" Rapunzel said back, as she got back up on her feet and started to take notice of Sora and his friends. "Ah! Ruffians! What are you doing here? I have a frying pan and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Whoa, we're not gonna hurt you!" Goofy yelped in panic, as he tried to assure the girl that Sora and co. meant no harm.

"The dog's right, Blondie, 'cause these are the sidekicks I told you about."

"Sidekicks?" Sora remarked in confusion, as Flynn brought the Keybearer aside.

"Listen, kid, I made a promise to Rapunzel here to take her to see the floating lanterns that are set off every year, and with those creepy monsters around, I may know the way of the land, but you three are certainly more better suited in combat than I am," Flynn explained.

"Well, that's true," Sora admitted.

"Of course it is!" Donald piped up. "Because we're heroes!"

"Exactly!" Flynn remarked, just rolling with what Donald and Goofy were going to say.

"So, Sora, do you think we can help Rapunzel?" Goofy asked.

"Of course, Goofy. Because I can really imagine how she feels right now, with everything new and a bit scary. When I first left the island, I didn't know what to think of everything that was thrust upon me with the Keyblade, dealing with Heartless, but then I met you and Donald, and the rest has just been unforgettable."

"Great! Then let's get a move on while there's still daylight!" Flynn spoke as the group started walking onward.

"And I want to see what else there is the outside world has if we can!" Rapunzel added, as Sora nodded in assurance that he'd make it possible for her.

* * *

In another part of the forest, Mother Gothel was returning from her search for Rapunzel's favorite shells for painting when she was taken aback by a white horse leaping out at her from the bushes, only for it to give her a puzzled expression.

"Just a palace horse," she remarked, before she stopped in the realization that something about it seemed off, and that it was close towards the tower's hideaway. "But where's your rider? ...Rapunzel!" Quickly, she dashed through the cave and rushed to the base of the tower and shouted up towards the window. "Rapunzel? Let down your hair to me!" There was no response. "Rapunzel?!" She questioned again before deciding to just claw away at a concealed entryway to get inside the tower from a staircase behind the worn away wall of discolored bricks. "Rapunzel? Rapunzel?!" she cried as she turned the inside apart for some sort of sign that could tell her where her 'golden flower' had gone off to. Then from the corner of her eye, she saw a faint glimmer under the floorboards going up towards Rapunzel's bedchamber. Moving the board aside, she saw a satchel with a glittering tiara inside. She knocked it away in horror, knowing full well the truth behind it. If Rapunzel were ever to know who she really was...

"Missing someone?" a voice called from the shadows.

"Who's there? Reveal yourself this instant!" Gothel demanded, as she saw a swirling purple and black vortex open and a man with rose-colored hair, dressed in a obsidian black robe, stepped forward.

"The one you seek, she is indeed a precious gift;" the man explained. "If you would allow, I can help bring her back to you, unharmed, of course." Taken aback by him, Gothel however could not deny the truth and sincere warmth behind his words, and she let her inner darkness take over, in spite of herself and her inhabitions so that she could reclaim her gift of immortality, and never let it slip from her grasp again.

* * *

And that finishes this new chapter; and what a way to end it, huh? I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


	33. Flower Power

Kingdom Hearts III: Final Mix

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or characters featured in this story. They are the sole creation of the Walt Disney Co., Square Enix, Pixar, Tetsuya Nomura and Marvel Comics. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

Another disclaimer: Due to circumstances beyond my control, I will no longer be referring to Rapunzel's world by its official name. Apologies to all of my readers.

* * *

Chapter 33: Flower Power

Meanwhile, back in Rapunzel's world, the group was marching onward through the woods when they came to an abrupt stop by a clearing where a giant mound of dandelion fluff stood erect in its center.

"Look at that, and how fluffy it is!" Rapunzel pointed out cheerfully as she walked over towards it and carefully observed the growth. She reached out her hand to feel the floof of the plant, only for it to sprout out seeds from itself that turned into Heartless, startling the poor girl.

"Heartless! Somehow, I'm not surprised!" Donald remarked as the trio leapt into battle position.

"Take cover, Rapunzel! We'll handle them!" Sora suggested as Rapunzel fell back and hung onto Flynn, who was ready to level with Rapunzel.

"I hate to say it, blondie, but I'm gonna have to cut you out of the deal. Let's just take you back home right now."

"No!" Rapunzel rebuked. "I am seeing those lanterns, and those things won't stand in my way." Rapunzel proceeded to return back towards Sora's side, ready to fight.

"Oh, come on!" Flynn sulked, reluctantly joining in to fight. " _ **What is it going to take to get back that satchel?**_ "

"Well, I'm not going to stop you," Sora told Rapunzel as the battle started, and he started using magic on the flowery foes. "Just be careful!"

"Don't worry, I will!" Rapunzel answered as she smacked around the Heartless with her hair and knocked them down as she swung from branch to branch. Flynn, however, was having a more interesting approach in dealing with the enemies as he knocked them down with rolling barrels and a frying pan.

"I have got to get me one of these!" Flynn mused out loud of his pan while fighting. Eventually, the group had beaten back the Heartless, leaving Rapunzel a little emotionally shaken.

"Mother always told me the outside world was full of ruffians and thugs... but I never expected those kind of things," she pondered out loud.

"Well, looks like we might need to take a new path," Flynn suggested. "And I know just the place..."

* * *

Sometime later, as Rapunzel and Flynn entered a nearby tavern called the Snuggly Duckling, Sora and the others were waiting outside when they took notice of a new kind of Nobody floating about in the distance. Convinced it could be a threat, the team followed it to a clearing and took it out.

"That could've been bad," Donald pointed out.

"Okay," Sora remarked. "I know that you 'has-beens' are out there! Show yourself!"

"A 'has-been'?" a sultry voice replied as a man with long pink hair stepped out from the shadows of a Dark Corridor. "You have some nerve, boy."

"Whatever," Sora answered back. "If you think Nobodies will stop us this time, the Organization's just using old ideas. Are you in the 'real' one too, or something?"

"There is so much that you don't know, Sora. And yes, I am. You may call me Marluxia. It has been a long time since we last met."

"Last met...?" Sora asked in confusion, turning back towards Donald and Goofy. "You know him?" Donald and Goofy shook their heads no.

"A shame you don't remember me, because I remember you well enough. Now, if you would permit me, I've come to ask a favor of you," Marluxia requested.

"You've gotta be kidding me! Why should we do **you** any favors?!" Sora shouted.

"Well, you may have realized that the maiden, Rapunzel, is the very light of this world. Do well to see she is protected from dark horrors. After all, our ultimate goal is not simply clash with the light. What we truly seek... is balance."

"Likely story!" Donald humphed.

"Regardless, use that Keyblade to protect her. You'll soon find she will be a very important factor in the end..." Marluxia concluded as he vanished back into the darkness, leaving a confused Sora to go back to the tavern to see how Rapunzel and Flynn were, as they overheard castle guards inside the tavern discover a secret underground passageway. The heroes then proceeded to trail after so they could catch up with their friends, unaware Mother Gothel was watching from behind the trees, stopping to confront a patron that drunkenly stumbled out the door.

"Oh, somebody get me a glass," the short man remarked upon seeing Gothel "because I just found me a tall drink of water."

"Stop it, you big lug," Gothel laughed, feigning flattery, before pulling a knife on the man. "Now where does that tunnel lead out?" she asked threateningly.

"...Knife!" were the only words he could answer with as he flinched in fear.

* * *

And that finishes this new chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I've been busy lately. Also, even though the timing may be unfortunate, given the interface switch to Eclipse happening shortly this month, I am uploading past chapters of this story onto my DeviantArt page (look for it under the username TSurg3). I hope you enjoyed this little update and please remember to leave a review to let me know what you think about the story! See you next time, and may your heart be your guiding key.


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